Metropolitan Division Surprise stands out as a fit for Arber Xhekaj

Arber could lead to the writing being on the wall for his time with the team.

There’s no guarantee he’ll be traded before the March 6 deadline, but given the season-ending RFA, it seems likely there’s at least a chance he’ll find a new home before the start of the 2026-27 season.

While Xhekaj may not be able to play a full-time role in Montreal, there are certainly other teams in the league that could use him, and one of those is the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Arber Xhekaj makes sense for the Penguins

Despite sitting second in the Metropolitan Division and looking poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021-22, General Manager Kyle Dubas won’t deviate from his long-term plan. As a result, moves like acquiring Yegor Chinakhov for a second- and third-round pick are the type of calculated additions that you can expect if he buys at all – and Xhekaj fits that picture perfectly.

Not only that, but if there’s one area Dubas will prioritize, it’s the blue line – especially the left side. Parker Wotherspoon was a huge surprise when he teamed up with Erik Karlsson to perform top pairing duties, but beyond that, things get thin quickly. Brett Kulak has been solid since arriving from Edmonton, but is a pending UFA who likely won’t stick around beyond 2025-2026, while fellow defensemen Ryan Shea, Connor Clifton and Ilya Solovyov are also out of contracts.

Xhekaj would immediately help with a playoff push if the Penguins become proactive, but he makes even more sense in the long run because the type of young, bruised defenseman Pittsburgh has been missing for years. They have long lacked that bite and grit on the blue line – a postseason necessity – and Xhekaj would give them one of the more physical, intimidating presences in the league who has proven he can handle NHL minutes.

Considering that the acquisition cost should be nothing out of the ordinary, and the Penguins have an abundance of cap space to re-sign Xhekaj, the odds are pretty much stacked against Dubas being a serious player in any eventual sweepstakes.

Canadiens and penguins ideal trading partners?

While Xhekaj should undoubtedly be on Pittsburgh’s radar, he isn’t the only Canadian who would make sense for the Pens.

A low-risk, potentially high-reward swing on Patrik Laine won’t appeal to many teams, but the Penguins are a landing spot that could check all the boxes that insider Dan Kingerski has already wondered about. Furthermore, if Montreal were ever willing to listen to players like Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook, they would also join Dubas’ retooling approach.

He and Habs GM Kent Hughes know each other quite well, having been notably linked to the three-team deal that brought Karlsson to Pittsburgh shortly after Dubas took over. Given that history — and the number of Canadiens who could turn to the Penguins — keep an eye on these two teams as potential trade partners, whether that’s before the deadline or this offseason.

Next: Insider reveals if the Canadiens still have hope of landing Sidney Crosby