While the NHL offseason is quiet thus far into August, things are expected to heat up in the coming weeks and with news that Connor McDavid might have an extension in place could be the catalyst to kick things off.
However, a couple of Original-Six rivals could also get things started according to an article from Heavy.com, but it involves the Habs giving up a fan favorite to the Bruins.
The proposed trade would see the Montreal Canadiens send fan favorite enforcer and defenseman Aber Xhekaj to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Casey Mittelstadt.
On paper it seems like a solid option, especially considering that Mittelstadt’s younger brother Luke is in the Montreal system but it would certainly bring a lot of backlash from both sides.
According to one analyst, if the Canadiens put Xhekaj up, it might be more than the Bruins who have interest but that won’t stop fans from being upset at a potential deal.
As polarizing as Xhekaj can be, he does have a deep attachment to the fans and while he doesn’t score much and is often throwing a lot of suspicious hits; that’s what the fans love about him and it’s a bit hard to see him fitting in with Boston; especially if they are trying to go in a different direction.
For Mittelstadt, it would be less backlash from Bruins fans who were puzzled and frankly a bit upset about the deal, and more of Montreal adding someone who had a ton of promise but has lacked any true consistency; and at the price of the fan’s good graces.
Granted, he is a former top draft pick but everywhere he’s gone it seems like he is the odd man out and was actually a mandatory add on in the Bruins’ Charlie Coyle trade; Colorado wanted him gone ASAP.
Mittelstadt had 40 points in 81 games for the Avalanche and Bruins (15 goals, 25 assists) meanwhile Xhekaj played in 70 games but registered only six points (1 goal, 5 assists) and notoriously refused to fight Toronto’s Ryan Reaves during the 2024-25 season.
The fit for Mittelstadt in Montreal is simply hoping he fits well enough in the bottom-six to give him consistent minutes and let him find his footing, and if Xhekaj can come in and toughen up the Bruins then so be it.
But it’s a strange proposal nonetheless, and it has Montreal gambling on whether or not they might have a diamond in the rough however that could backfire into a lot of criticism for GM Kent Hughes.
