If this were true every single team in the league would have a player like Xhekaj. He's also not a defensive D, truly I don't know if I've ever seen so many people build such entrenched opinions about a player they have never bothered to watch
None of these are 23 years old and cost controlled, which is the premium you're paying. And none of these have any potential left.
The guy has 90 career games and averages 15mins/game and some of these comments make it sound like he's a hot commodity around the league. You can get a player who does what he does in free agency or cheap through trade every year. He won't exactly be Arber Xhekaj, maybe he's older, maybe not signed as long, whatever...either way it's not difficult to find a big defenseman to play on the bottom pair.
Yes they're all older but that also means they are more established, and some of them actually are better offensively than Xhekaj.
Do they?
He's literally been the 2nd most used D on the PP in the last two season, lol.
Again, this whole post so clearly reads of someone who is literally just looking at Arber's hockey reference page and has decided that's enough to build a firm opinion on.
Okay and again, he won't be on the PP when you have Matheson, Hutson, Mailloux, whoever else coming up. Also, if he's been the 2nd most used D on the powerplay where is the production to show that's a good spot to play him? Why was Montreal the 6th worst PP in the league?
So which one is 23 years old and has tons more room to grow, can hit, and fight like Arber?
The word "could"as a negative is revelent but not the main driver in evaluation of a player at this point in his development. Trading for a player at this stage you don't make the trade based on his what you project as his floor but what his likely ceiling is. If you low ball someone else may pick the player up ahead of you and you have missed the opportunity.
Sarcasm?
Eh I don't know about that, Romanov was playing 20 minutes a game in his last year for Montreal. I'd say his value was probably closer to Guhle than those two at the time of trade
He's not a great PP player, I think that's clear. He did however play there, which disproves your prior claim that he is a defensive D. He's not, he's a two way D with a lot of potential. His growth is not usual, but it is very real.
The point he's trying to make is those players can all be acquired for free. No point trading down from 10th overall.
Strictly using playing time isn't very telling. Romanov wasn't even close to being as good as Guhle, not defensively and surely not offensively.
Why didn't Lou just sign Ben Chiarot then instead of trading Romanov for the 13th overall?
Cool!So 61 posts into this thread and no one mentioned something of significant of the Winnipeg pick. They lost in the first round and dependent on who and when move on through the playoffs the Winnipeg pick may move up significantly ergo becoming more valuable.
Romanov is better the Xhekaj.
To the Anderson for Nemec bit - there most definitely were not "plenty" of Habs fans saying that lol. Most didn't want to give him away for free last year I'll give you that, that was clearly a mistake and allegedly Hughes turned down at least one offer at the draft so that sucks
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