The Montreal Canadiens have been openly looking to upgrade at center this offseason. The club has explored various options to bolster its top-six center depth. However, chatter around the league suggests the Habs have been unable to find the right deal.
Perhaps the solution may be in finding a player with top-six potential that merely needs a fresh start. That player could be Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright. Wright was a surprising pick for the Kraken at #4 in the 2022 NHL Draft. Pundits across the board had earmarked Wright to go as high as first overall.
Yet, Wright fell to fourth. The Kraken took a chance, and it’s been slow going since. It’s taken Wright three seasons to finally play a full year. In his first full season, Wright scored 19 goals and 44 points.
So, a fresh start on a playoff team could help Wright find his game. That’s why the Canadiens could be a great fit. Here’s what a theoretical Canadiens-Kraken deal could look like:
Canadiens get:
Shane Wright, F
Kraken get:
Arber Xhekaj, D
Dealing Xhekaj could be somewhat of a risky move. He’s young and has played a tough, enforcer-like role with the Canadiens. He consistently gets under 10 minutes a night when he’s in the lineup. He doesn’t offer much in the way of offense and has been a defensive liability. But he’s drawn looks from around the league.
Given the Canadiens’ sudden surplus of high-end blue liners, Xhekaj could be on the move for the right price. That price could be Wright.
Canadiens Willing to Move Xhekaj for a First-Round Pick
Canadiens analyst Brian Wilde stated during an appearance on the Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro on August 22 that the price on Xhekaj would be a first-round pick.
Wilde was adamant that the Canadiens don’t want to move Xhekaj. But they might be willing to do so for the right price.
He stated:
“A first-round draft pick would be the only thing they would take to lose him. They don’t need more second-rounders. I can’t see him being traded, I think the organization loves him.”
Despite Xhekaj being a fan favorite, he could become expendable to a certain extent. The Canadiens have Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and Alexandre Carrier manning to top five. Xhekaj would have to compete with Jayden Struble for the last blue line spot.
So, it’s fair to say that Xhekaj could be an interesting trade chip if the Canadiens were thinking to make the move.
Why Habs Would Want to Hold onto Xhekaj
Wilde explained why he believes the Canadiens would be willing to keep Xhekaj despite not having a regular spot for him:
“That (a second-rounder) is not going to get a trade done, because he has a very high ceiling. I don’t mean that in terms of ‘first-pair or second-pair,’ I mean that in terms of the usefulness that he can bring to the rink every single day as somebody that scares people, as somebody that hits people, as an enforcer.”
Every now and then, teams could use an extra dose of toughness in the lineup. But then again, the Canadiens have a glaring need in their top six. If someone like Shane Wright could become available, that’s a move the club has to consider.
While Shane Wright may hardly be a savior for the Canadiens, moving a depth piece for a stalled prospect could be just what either team needs to make a significant impact in their lineups.
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