Arber Xhekaj's agent finally said something about his contract standoff with the Montreal Canadiens.
Louis-Andre Lariviere of La Page Sportive reported that agent Brian Bartlett broke his silence this week, though he didn't reveal much.
"We're comfortable keeping the talks between the team and ourselves at this point," Bartlett said, confirming that talks between his camp and Montreal are actively taking place this week.
Several reports have pointed to a two-year contract sitting on the table, but Xhekaj wants clarity before signing anything.
Sportsnet's Eric Engels described what's actually holding things up.
"I believe fair-value contract options are on the table for Arber Xhekaj," Engels said.
"But I also think he's concerned about locking himself into anything with the Canadiens before having a clearer pathway to regular usage," he added.
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Arber Xhekaj breaks silence as Canadiens contract deadline approaches
That's the real hangup here. Money doesn't appear to be the sticking point anymore, a real role does.
Xhekaj posted 4 points in 65 games last season, limited offensive numbers for a player still trying to lock down everyday minutes on the back end.
He's not alone in this situation. Zachary Bolduc remains unsigned too, with his own contract talks dragging into September.
Bolduc's agent, Philippe Lecavalier, is a former colleague of Canadiens GM Kent Hughes, which adds an interesting wrinkle to those separate negotiations.
Two former colleagues negotiating against each other tends to get complicated fast. Both sides know exactly how the other operates.
Training camp opens September 16, leaving barely two weeks to get both deals done before Montreal needs bodies on the ice.
The season opener is set for September 29 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, adding another marker to an already tight runway.
Is a two-week window really enough time to solve a standoff that's dragged through the entire summer?
There's a harder deadline looming too. Both players need to sign by December 1 if they want to play at all during the 2026-27 season.
Getting there would be a real surprise given how much mutual attachment both sides have shown all summer. Still, surprises happen when clarity is what's actually missing.
Will Xhekaj and Bolduc both be signed before Canadiens camp opens?
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