Report: Canadiens Could Send Arber Xhekaj Down To Minors

Monday, October 07, 2024

Marco D’Amico of RG.Org suggests that the Montreal Canadiens are considering sending defenseman Arber Xhekaj to their AHL affiliate in Laval, not due to his performance, but as a strategic move to manage their salary cap. 

The Canadiens are currently $2.02 million over the $88 million cap, largely due to acquiring Patrik Laine's $8.7 million contract. 

While they could place Laine or Carey Price on LTIR immediately, the team aims to delay this until after the roster deadline on October 7 to "get the full benefit of their relief space" and maximize flexibility for future moves.

By sending Xhekaj to the minors, the Canadiens can bury $1.15 million of his $1.3 million salary, bringing them within $900,000 of cap compliance. 

This maneuver would allow them to place sidelined forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard and his $1.1 million cap hit on LTIR while preserving Laine and Price's LTIR placements for later. 

Delaying the LTIR use for Laine or Price gives the Canadiens more cap space to work with throughout the season, particularly as they work through performance bonuses for young players like Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson, which could otherwise complicate roster management.

D'Amico describes Xhekaj's move as a "paper transaction," with the Canadiens having no intention of keeping him in Laval long-term. 

Since Xhekaj does not carry any performance bonuses, his cap hit is easier to manipulate. 

The expectation is that Xhekaj will be recalled immediately after Laine or Price is placed on LTIR, allowing him to rejoin the lineup in time for the Canadiens' season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 9.

Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images



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