Montreal Canadiens

Arber Xhekaj remains unsigned as the Canadiens and their promising young defenseman appear to be at an impasse on contract terms. The longer this negotiation drags on, the more other teams are circling, sensing an opportunity to acquire a talented blueliner on the cheap. Montreal's front office faces a delicate balancing act between standing firm on their valuation and risking losing Xhekaj to another organization.