Elliotte Friedman, in the most recent episode of 32 Thoughts, brought up Arber Xhekaj, and mentionned that several teams have shown interest in the player. He even speculated about the Philadelphia Flyers' quest to trade Cutter Gauthier.
Discussing potential interest in Xhekaj on his podcast (32TP), Friedman said: "It's plausible that Philly was one of these teams. While I'm not certain if it involved (Cutter) Gauthier or a different scenario, it seems like a logical fit. If Xhekaj is looking beyond Montreal, he'd be an ideal match for the Flyers."
Although Friedman was not certain about a transaction including Gauthier, he noted Xhekaj's high demand and the alignment of his playing style with what the Flyers might be looking for.
However, Canadiens' general manager Kent Hughes has been clear: he's not for trade.
Xhekaj Will Stay with the Montreal Canadiens For a Long Time
Kent Hughes said to the teams interested to Xhekaj that he wasn't going to trade him.
Friedman reiterates, the Canadiens have informed teams that they are not looking to trade him.
Xhekaj will be RFA at the end of the season and the Canadiens will surely try to lock him long-term.