Florian Xhekaj has career night with first professional hat trick

Montreal Canadiens former 2023 fourth-round selection Florian Xhekaj has been acclimating well to the professional game, and Sunday evening, he posted a five-point night.

Xhekaj's hat trick highlighted his career night, a night where he could do no wrong for the Laval Rocket. The younger Xhekaj was essential for the Rocket attack against the Bridgeport Islanders. He was a thorn in Islanders goaltender Henrik Tikkanen's side, scoring all of his goals right in front of the net.

Everything that Xhekaj touched turned to gold, factoring in on five of the six Rocket goals. He played a man's game, putting in a strong effort all over the ice. His strength and strong positioning allowed him to dominate the game.

It was an impressive effort, and he has the potential to become a very good future bottom-six forward. His blend of strength, skill, and effort results in a player who uses his size to create space in the offensive zone. His nose for the net is Brendan Gallagher-esque, and his six-foot-four and 190-lb frame does some real damage.

If he can find a balance of walking the edge of being a pest and creating, the Canadiens would be very well off with him. He can handle himself in the corners and around the net, and he has the hands to make crafty passes. I think that he has underrated skills, and could end up being a steal of a pick in the fourth round of the draft.

The first star of the game, Xhekaj factored in on all of the scoring plays in the third period. It was a statement game from Xhekaj, and I think that he could build some serious confidence from this going forward. Player development and coaches going over video with him to show him all the things he did right will be huge for him.

Xhekaj bleeds character and he leaves it all out on the ice every night, which is something that gives the team energy; especially on the tough nights.

Xhekaj's grit will be a blessing for Habs bottom six

I don't necessarily think that the Habs get pushed around, but adding some insurance muscle to the team won't hurt the team. The fact that Xhekaj can blend a power game and create offence, he is the kind of player who helps teams win the Stanley Cup. Xhekaj wears down defences and exploits open ice with his large frame and quick strides, this serves him well at the professional hockey level.

I think having a balance of toughness on the blueline and the forward core is important for championship teams. Ultimately, the physical nature of hockey turns up a few notches during the playoffs. This is where gritty, resilient players can be the difference between a win and a loss; this is important because in many ways hockey can be like a game of chess.