Arber Xhekaj still doesn't have a new contract with the Montreal Canadiens, and in the last hours, the coaching staff finally addressed it.
Habs assistant coach Stéphane Robidas fielded questions on the unsigned defenseman and didn't dodge the topic.
"He's proud to play for the Montreal Canadiens, it means a lot to him and he wants to help the team win," Robidas said.
"I'm still confident, I think things will work out for the best for him and our team," he added.
Xhekaj is a restricted free agent, and general manager Kent Hughes hasn't announced a new deal heading into Wednesday.
That's an unusual thing for a coach to say out loud while the front office is still negotiating. Robidas basically kept the door open in public.
So why hasn't Hughes gotten this one signed already?
Kent Hughes still hasn't signed his physical defenseman
Xhekaj built his reputation as one of the most physical defensemen in the league, a player who never backs down from dropping the gloves.
He carried a $1,300,000 cap hit last season, a bargain price for a defenseman who plays with that kind of edge.
In 65 games, the 25-year-old put up just 4 points, a modest return by his standards.
Over his final 10 games last season, he scored once and went plus-3, a small sign he can still chip in offensively.
He was sharper in the postseason, picking up 2 points in 13 playoff games while sticking to his physical identity.
The Canadiens finished the season 48-24-10 with 106 points, good enough for sixth overall in the league.
Montreal also went 24-9-8 on the road, one of the stronger travel records in the entire league last season.
Right now, this contract standoff is a staring contest, and neither side wants to blink first.
Montreal is already thin on the right side of the blue line, so an extended holdout would sting more than it looks on paper.
If Xhekaj is still unsigned once camp opens, the Canadiens will have a real problem on the back end.
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Should the Canadiens use arbitration to end the Arber Xhekaj standoff now?
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