Trade proposal between the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs: A fan favorite is involved, and it's causing a huge reaction
During the offseason, news about the Montreal Canadiens has been relatively scarce. As Kent Hughes' summer is soon coming to an end, some fans are coming up with trade proposals between the Canadiens and various NHL teams to entertain themselves and spark interesting debates.
One trade proposal involving the Leafs and the Habs has surfaced on social media, generating numerous reactions from fans. The proposal includes 22-year-old defenseman Arber Xhekaj, which quickly displeased Montreal fans who are eager to keep the number 72 player in their team.
While Canadiens fans were strongly against the trade, many Toronto fans admitted they would love to see Brad Treliving make such a deal.
It's intriguing to see that a player who was never drafted in the NHL could potentially allow the Canadiens to acquire a first-round pick and a defenseman selected 32nd overall a few years ago. This demonstrates how Arber Xhekaj has made rapid progress over the last few seasons and has become a crucial part of Martin St. Louis' lineup.
However, as previously mentioned, this is not a trade rumor but rather a proposal made by a fan. It would be extremely surprising if Kent Hughes agreed to trade Arber Xhekaj to one of their biggest rivals.
In his first year in the NHL, the Canadiens defenseman was excellent, recording 5 goals and 8 assists (13 points) in 51 games. He stood out and became a fan favorite with his robust playing style and willingness to stand up for his teammates.
On the other hand, Conor Timmins had some difficulties in his NHL debut, collecting only 7 assists in 41 games with the Colorado Avalanche and the Arizona Coyotes. However, the 6'2" and 202-pound defenseman significantly improved with the Toronto Maple Leafs, tallying an impressive 14 points in 25 games.
If you were in Kent Hughes' position, would you accept this trade?
Source: Habs&LNH
| POLL | ||
If you were in Kent Hughes' position, would you trade Arber Xhekaj for Conor Timmins and a first-round pick in 2026? | ||
| Yes | 42 | 18.5 % |
| No | 185 | 81.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
