The Toronto Maple Leafs have also made an offer for Arber Xhekaj
Today, Arber Xhekaj is seen as the new sheriff of the Canadiens' blue line, known for his intimidating body checks and powerful punches when he drops the gloves. A true fan favorite of the Montreal Canadiens, he has also attracted the interest of a division rival.
The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly made an offer to the Habs to acquire Arber Xhekaj
His journey is practically worthy of a movie, and as an undrafted player, he quickly established himself with a unique identity in the NHL. He has shown that he can be a valuable asset in the lineup under Martin St-Louis, and he is feared across the entire National Hockey League.
A few months ago, the Philadelphia Flyers tried to acquire him via trade, and we know that the Toronto Maple Leafs would love to have a tough defenseman like Xhekaj in their lineup, especially since they currently have Simon Benoit. However, it's not the same level of toughness, even though the young Leafs defenseman made a good impression last year.
But here's something interesting.
The Toronto Maple Leafs also made an offer for Arber Xhekaj a few years ago
This is what the Canadiens' tough defenseman himself revealed during an interview on the popular podcast Spittin' Chiclets.
As reported by Samuel Doiron, Xhekaj could have easily ended up with the Maple Leafs if he had listened to his agent.
In an interview with Paul Bissonnette, Arber Xhekaj mentioned that he chose Montreal, but it was the Toronto Maple Leafs who were the first to knock on his door.
Wow!
Canadiens fans would have been heartbroken and might have learned to hate Arber Xhekaj if he had signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is exactly the type of player that every team really needs, but we are very happy to have him here.
- Samuel Doiron
He mentioned that the Florida Panthers also called him, but he was still waiting for a call from Montreal. The Panthers' defense had several veterans, and the team was among the favorites. The chances of securing a spot back then seemed much slimmer compared to the Habs.
Finally, after a few days of waiting, he received a nice invitation from the Habs, and he managed to impress the coaching staff in Montreal. Luke Richardson liked his style of play, and he came very close to ending up in Toronto.
Source: HABSolumentFan
Arber Xhekaj avait une offre pour se joindre aux Leafs
| POLL | ||
How many penalty minutes Arber Xhekaj will have in 2024-2025? | ||
| 100 minutes or less | 67 | 35.1 % |
| 100 to 124 minutes | 60 | 31.4 % |
| 125 to 149 minutes | 41 | 21.5 % |
| 150 minutes or over | 23 | 12 % |
| List of polls | ||
