What It Would Cost the Maple Leafs to Land Arber Xhekaj Revealed
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
If Toronto had aspirations to add Arber Xhekaj to add some more toughness to their lineup, one analyst believes the price is going to be a lot higher than some think according to The Sick Podcast.
While there are a few questions surrounding how the Maple Leafs can improve their back end, a lot of it falls on adding much needed offense to their defense, and bring in a proper puck mover on the power play.
However, they could always get a bit tougher and while they have a fair bit of bodies who can play defense, they can look to maybe add another.
What Makes Xhekaj Such a Unique Trade Asset
According to analyst Brian Wilde, the team could potentially end up being interested in Montreal's Arber Xhekaj, as his price for a deal has been seemingly revealed (and it's way more than you think):
I'm going to say the market for him is a 2nd round draft choice, but they're not trading him because he's a unicorn.
While a unicorn may be a bit of a stretch considering Xhekaj isn't the greatest offensively, has some defensive shortcomings at times, and is definitely seen as more of an intimidation factor than anything.
However, there might be a reason why Toronto could be interested.
While the Leafs are certainly an older team, they do have the potential to have someone like Easton Cowan up on the team this season, and while they have some tough players in Dakota Joshua and Xhekaj's former teammate Michael Pezzetta; they lack a real x-factor who scares people away.
He wouldn't be asked to do more than protect Cowan, Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson, but Xhekaj could provide a great stop-gap against a team like Florida, who is willing to get nasty but may think twice against the 6'4 behemoth that is Xhekaj.
Xhekaj was also linked to the rival Boston Bruins in a potential package for Casey Mittelstadt, as Montreal tries to improve their offense a bit more.
It's a bit crazy also to think that just a short while ago, Xhekaj was working at Costco before finding himself earning a deal with the Canadiens through sheer grit and determination.
The Price Tag If Toronto Ever Explored a Deal
Well, a second-round pick is a lot to ask for a player who has ten times the amount of PIM as he does points, but if the Maple Leafs could find a way to dish off a low pick and someone like a Marshall Rifai; a player who doesn't have a future in Toronto.
It might seem a bit egregious to pay so much for Xhekaj, especially if he isn't an everyday player, but he can certainly step in for Simon Benoit when the situation calls for it, and could be a great spark plug for the team when they need a jolt.
Given that the team has a logjam on defense, they might not want to bring in another person on the back end, but he does fit the mould of a Craig Berube player, and with no Ryan Reaves the team needs a designated knuckle-feeder.
So maybe it might be worth that price, even if Xhekaj is more a lion than a unicorn.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 23 | 1445 ANSWERS What It Would Cost the Maple Leafs to Land Arber Xhekaj Revealed Would you trade for Arber Xhekaj if you were Toronto? | ||
| Yes | 695 | 48.1 % |
| No | 750 | 51.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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