Friedman confirms Montreal Canadiens beat out Florida Panthers in sweepstakes for young player
Photo credit: Sportsnet
NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman reveals that the Montreal Canadiens beat out the divisional foe Florida Panthers for Florian Xhekaj, who recently made his NHL debut in a Habs sweater, in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Because the Montreal Canadiens were dealing with injuries to players like Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine, they called up Florian Xhekaj from the American Hockey League affiliate Laval Rocket.
He made his NHL debut on Saturday night against the divisional foe Toronto Maple Leafs and played a role in Montreal’s 5-2 win at Bell Centre with an assist and a fight, coming just a goal short of what is known as a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, and a fight).
But it turns out that another team in the Atlantic was hoping to get Xekaj, the brother of defenseman Arber Xhekaj. Per NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman in a recent ‘32 Thoughts‘ column, the Florida Panthers were hoping they could get him in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
It was special watching Arber and Florian Xhekaj make their NHL double debut last Saturday. Florida loved Florian heading into that 2023 draft, meeting with him multiple times in the lead-up. That included the night before the draft, apparently targeting him anywhere between the third and sixth rounds, I believe. Montreal found out. They got him in the fourth round, 101st overall.
Before he was called up to the Habs, he had four points (2G, 2A) in 16 games with the Rocket.
Florian Xhekaj Recently Made His NHL Debut With The Canadiens
Xhekaj was taken by Montreal with the 101st pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and he was able to make his debut last Saturday night.
His scouting report via Elite Prospects highlights his ability on one-time shots and deflections:
Around the net, Xhekaj looks like a professional player. He doesn’t just plant himself in front; he moves his feet, presents his stick, and detaches from defenders just as the puck comes through. Tricky one-timers and high-skill deflections are his scoring tools, complemented by those off-puck reads.
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Friedman confirms Montreal Canadiens beat out Florida Panthers in sweepstakes for young player
Will Florian Xhekaj eventually see regular playing time with the Habs?