As the Montreal Canadiens gear up for what promises to be an eventful training camp, the team finds itself facing a wave of uncertainty on the blue line. With the recent signing of Jayden Struble to a two-year, one-way contract, the competition among the defensemen has reached a boiling point, leaving fans and analysts eagerly speculating about the future of several key players.

Among those under the spotlight is Arber Xhekaj, whose role with the Canadiens suddenly appears more precarious than ever. Once seen as a rising force and a dependable enforcer, Xhekaj now finds himself on the fringes of the lineup, his future clouded by the emergence of new talent and shifting team dynamics.

The situation is further complicated by looming questions about David Reinbacher’s possible promotion and the trade rumors swirling around veteran Mike Matheson.

With so many moving pieces and high-stakes decisions ahead, the Canadiens’ defensive corps is entering a critical juncture. As the countdown to training camp continues, all eyes are on Montreal’s blue line, where every move could have major consequences for the team’s immediate ambitions and long-term plans.

Montreal Canadiens enforcer Arber Xhekaj

Photo credit: Screenshot

The Montreal Canadiens’ training camp is approaching quickly, and the team will be dealing with a complicated situation on defense.

In the past few hours, the Montreal Canadiens announced the signing of defenseman Jayden Struble to a two-year deal.

This is good news for the young defenseman, as he has been providing excellent service to the Canadiens.

Pen to paper! The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a two-year, one-way contract with defenseman Jayden Struble. – Montreal Canadiens

Looking at the lineup, we can now see that the team has seven defensemen.

The end of Arber Xhekaj with the Montreal Canadiens?

Currently, Arber Xhekaj holds the role of the 7th defenseman with the Canadiens.

If the team suffers an injury, they’ll have enough depth to fill the gap.

So Xhekaj will still be useful to Martin St. Louis’ squad.

The question we can now ask is whether defenseman David Reinbacher will be in the Canadiens’ lineup for the first game of the regular season.

“Could David Reinbacher earn a roster spot at the expense of Struble and Xhekaj?”

If that’s the case, we can seriously wonder what Xhekaj’s future with the Canadiens will look like.

It’s also worth noting that Mike Matheson is in the final year of his current contract and could be a valuable piece in a trade.

The St. Louis Blues seemed very interested a few weeks ago, but the deal ultimately fell through.

In the end, we should get several answers in the coming weeks, and it will be interesting to follow the situation closely.