Montreal Canadiens: Florian Xhekaj Has Had An Interesting Start To His Season
The Montreal Canadiens bet on Florian Xhekaj to be a unicorn when they drafted him, hoping he could add some offence to his game. The physical elements played a factor, and seeing how Arber has come along for the Habs, it felt like a good bet to make. Florian has all the tools to be a power forward in the professional rankings, and he appears fully capable of accomplishing it.
His season has started off just as one might expect, with a lot of hitting, maybe a bit too much?.. Through the first five games of the season, the younger Xhekaj has three game misconducts. You read that right, he has been a physical specimen and it’s fair to say that he could compete physically with professional players.
Growth and development are two words that can best describe the mantra for the organization’s rebuild. Xhekaj’s selection came with some known things, for example, the hard-hitting style and potential physical growth were expected. But he has taken it up a notch, looking to earn a shot in Montreal the way that Arber did, with (hopefully) smart and physical play.
I wrote about the growth spurt that he had over the summer, around the time of training camp. He added some weight and grew a little taller. Xhekaj has taken advantage of his physical growth, but the two-way game and point production is what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are focused on.
Albeit a small sample size, with the season only a handful of games in, Xhekaj has taken a step forward and benefitted from a productive offseason. He has scored four points (two goals & two assists) through the first five games of the Ontario Hockey League regular season. The Brampton Bulldogs forward appears primed to shatter his rookie season points total of 25, including nearly identical goals (13) and 12 assists.
Aside from Josh Anderson, the Canadiens don’t have a player who can rush the puck up the ice, and come out of board battles with the puck the majority of the time. The Canadiens and Xhekaj are hoping that he can be a great power forward in the future, and they will be patient with him. Dominating in junior is one thing, but playing against the best players in the world is a huge jump.
His start isn’t to say he will be an offensive stud or even continue at his current pace. But it is promising, and a great boost of confidence for him. If he can stay healthy, a big year could be helpful in his pursuit of playing pro with the Laval Rocket.
For whatever reason he hasn’t been discussed very much, but I expect that he will start to earn some attention. Hopefully, he can stay within the rules, and avoid any more game misconducts. The Blackeye Xhekaj style is great, but he could benefit from picking his battles a little better; much like Arber has done this season in Montreal.
As he climbs up from one league to the next, he could end up developing a reputation with officials across the league. If he is known to play too far over the edge, it could work against him; as referees won’t give him the benefit of the doubt during scrums. Playing smart and physical will allow him to impact the game away from the puck while remaining out of the penalty box, which could translate to an increase in his ice time.
His willingness to stand up for himself and his teammates will never be questioned. However, the importance of him being respected by his peers and officials cannot be understated. Patience and great coaching should correct it, hopefully, because the Habs could really use a player like Florian Xhekaj to insulate and keep opponents honest.