Quoting: Windjammer
Most just throw him in because they know he's worthless to Montreal, but he is an extra piece, so they can say "we're giving you 4 pieces, your being unreasonable".
Quoting: Epichashashin
I keep seeing Arber Xhekaj in mock PLD trades and my question is why? Jets have tons of LHD prospects, he was the 21st scoring Dman in the OHL as a 21 year old (by p/pg, 30th by points, which isnt that impressive considering his age), has no draft pedigree to back him up, etc. I just fail to really see any value at all in him in regards to a Dubois trade. Is he just a throw in to make a trade seem better through sheer quantity, which habs fan are okay with getting rid of as he wasn't drafted, or do people actually see him as a legitimate prospect?
While Xhekaj is not so offensive and stats wise, he seen as a good physical defensive D-man the fact he was not draft show that he have pass under the radar. There some junior player who have play against him that say he's a hard man to work around.
He may not be the most spectacular or prolific defense player but he still could have a good carrier as physical top 4 or top 6. Pair him with a more offensive player he could make a good partner.
Also while I understand there as certain value to a 24 year old center with a good physics and able to produce Average of 60 pts per season, people also need to think that this value have been reduce by the same player and agent because they have go to media on multiple occasions telling anyone who want to listen that they want out of Winnipeg, where they would likely goes and want to be decisive about where they want to go by been UFA.
Now like I say on multiple occasions, there could still be a trick use to have better leverage to negotiate on price of the new contract like done before by alot of other player. But there also the chance that this is genuine. If the case gm would be more conservative on there decision to trade for him.
Some could see him having attitude problem to not be able to stay with the same team for long. It's could also be just the case the player didn't like the team for which he play and was just obligated to do is job because of the constraints is contract demand.