Canadiens & Arber Xhekaj 'Progressing' To Agreement

The Montreal Canadiens have one remaining unsigned restricted free agent in Arber Xhekaj. But a report this morning from insider Pierre LeBrun indicates that should be changing at any moment. He says the two sides are getting closer to a deal ahead of training camp later this week. 

Talks are progressing and things are getting closer on a new deal between the Canadiens and RFA D Arber Xhekaj. Not done yet, but the expectation is that he'll be at camp and signed.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 14, 2026

"Talks are progressing and things are getting closer on a new deal between the Canadiens and RFA D Arber Xhekaj. Not done yet, but the expectation is that he'll be at camp and signed," wrote LeBrun.

After signing their other RFA, Zach Bolduc to a new deal on the weekend, it left the Habs with about $4.3 million in cap space before any Xhekaj deal, which is expected to be somewhere in the $2M AAV range.

We heard earlier this month that it could even be the rugged defenseman himself who was holding up a deal. 

"I believe fair-value contract options are on the table for Xhekaj, but I also think he’s concerned about locking himself into anything with the Canadiens before having a clearer pathway to regular usage," Sportsnet's Eric Engels wrote.

Xhekaj's 2025-26 season didn't go exactly as he'd hoped. He was a healthy scratch for 17 games, and averaged a career-low 11:25 ice time per night in the 65 games he did play. He still handed out 178 hits and racked up 116 penalty minutes. But his role was clearly reduced from the fairly regular 15 minutes of ice time per game in his first three years in Montreal.