Montreal Canadiens fans don’t get a lot of breaking news in the month of August, so here at A Winning Habit, we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 31 prospects currently in the Habs organization. Each player was carefully deliberated by our writers and ranked accordingly. Today, we’re onto the 30th-ranked prospect, Florian Xhekaj.
Xhekaj was selected in the fourth round of the most recent (2023) NHL Draft.
Much like his brother Arber, Florian Xhekaj is a physical player, who loves to finish his checks and hold other teams accountable. He will drop the gloves when needed, and while he is still ironing out his game, there may be some offence ready to peak through the seams. As a fourth-round pick, there are no expectations for Florian to make the NHL out of camp, as he is headed back to Hamilton in the OHL for the 2024-25 campaign.
The younger Xhekaj projects as a power forward, and at this juncture, he looks to be primed for a bottom-six role. His numbers during his first year of junior weren’t huge, but he does have time to grow and improve his game. Should he develop nicely, he could certainly end up a fan favourite that will punish opponents with his hitting and create space for his linemates using his size and speed.
During his draft season, Xhekaj recorded 13 goals and 12 assists. He was also a menace, ensuring no opponents got away easy playing against him, throwing hits routinely. In front of the net is perhaps his most effective area of play, as he uses his frame to screen the goalie and his adept hand-eye coordination to deflect pucks on the net.
He will look to best his rookie numbers in year two and find another level in his offensive game. The size, tools, and skating are all there, and if Arber taught us anything, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty and work hard. Florian is cut from that same cloth, and at 6’2” and 174 lbs, he still has some room to grow physically, which is scary to think about.
I would say Canadiens fans can expect his arrival in the NHL would be in 2026-27, perhaps earlier if he stands out in Laval. I think an offensive output of 20 goals and 25 assists is realistic. I imagine that he, the Canadiens and the Bulldogs would love to see his game grow to another level.
The 19-year-old has one more season of eligibility in junior, so a big season would certainly draw JF Houle’s attention at just the right time.
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