How long before the Canadiens put pen to paper with their two RFAs
Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff joined TSN Radio in Montreal on Monday and was asked about what has taken so long for the Montreal Canadiens and restricted free agents Arber Xhekaj and Zachary Bolduc to agree on new deals.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Anthony. Obviously, listen, not a ton going on in the world of the NHL, but still, a lot of RFAs out there, a lot of notable ones, but let’s start off with Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. At what point, I think the general feeling so far is that there isn’t a ton of nervousness around both those players, but at what point do you think those nerves start to develop for extending Arber Xhekaj and Zachary Bolduc for the future?”
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Anthony Di Marco: “Well, I mean, again, I don’t know if it’s nerves. I think it’s more just like question marks. Like, how much could either side, both like the Canadiens and the players, in this instance, be kind of like not willing to budge on? Like, if you look at Arber Xhekaj, more or less a seventh defenseman in their playoff run last year to the Eastern Conference Final, behind Jayden Struble on that depth chart. And as we’ve spoken about a lot over the past few weeks, maybe even David Reinbacher.
So I’m not sure how much Arber Xhekaj could be looking for. Obviously, wants to bet on himself, so maybe he’s looking for a shorter-term deal, while the Canadiens perhaps want some cost certainty.
And as for Zachary Bolduc, I think he probably has a bit more leverage than Xhekaj because of how he’s kind of been like a Swiss Army knife up and down that lineup. But I mean, at a certain point, you’re talking about a six-seven defenseman and a bottom six forward, and I just don’t know how long this could like possibly drag out.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The Montreal Canadiens usually have their own guys locked up by now. It is interesting to see that Arber Xhekaj and Zachary Bolduc aren’t signed yet. The Canadiens circled Bolduc and traded for him from St. Louis, giving up Logan Mailloux to get him. The player spoke to RDS on Monday and would like to remain playing in Montreal. He understands it is a business, but trusts his agent to work this out.
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As for Xhekaj, he is a draft pick that brings an element to the lineup that is missing. When Xhekaj plays within himself, he is a good addition to the lineup. However, as documented, how much are you paying for a sixth or seventh defenseman? Will either player be involved in a trade to upgrade an area of weakness? That depends on how GM Kent Hughes views each player in the long term.
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