Habs Daily: Xhekaj Brothers, Top Rookie Camp Prospects, Koivu

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, highlights, and stories you may have missed on Friday.

Montreal Canadiens News

Having two Xhekajs in the organization ensures maximum entertainment, and that includes stories from what was probably a fairly rowdy childhood. To make things even more fun, thanks to social media we get to see the reaction from the very person who had to deal with the fallout of Arber and Florian’s mischievous adventures.

Oh yeah, I remember those days like yesterday 😉 https://t.co/LGgHBZQf4v

— Simona Xhekaj (@SimonaXhekaj) September 14, 2024

The long wait is over! The Canadiens will face the Toronto Maple Leafs this afternoon at 1 pm ET. Be on the lookout for the first game preview of the season this morning, but fair warning, I originally wrote ‘Adam Reinbacher’ and ‘David Engstrom’ in my first draft. Hey, it’s preseason for all of us. While you wait for the puck to drop, check out the projected lines and defensive pairings for the rookies who will face the Leafs.  [Analyzing Montreal Canadiens Rookie Camp Lines And Pairings]

Aatos Koivu played his second game of the season for TPS, marking the second time I had a chance to watch him play an entire game in a live setting. I’ll need a few more viewings before I feel comfortable writing up an official Habs prospect report, but seeing as he discussed his father prior to the game, it’s worth mentioning they do share some of the same strengths. I’m not sure if I agree that he’s better than Saku was at 18 years old, or that his shot is already better than his father’s in his prime, but that’s fine. He’s his own player and should be treated as such.  Despite playing limited time on the fourth line as a winger, Aatos certainly has a penchant for making the most of his shifts. Against Lukko he was given less than three minutes of ice time in the first period, and yet he managed to lead both teams with four shots on net. He also did a very good job earning the final few feet of precious real estate around the net. His defensive play is still a mystery to me, as he’s been held to roughly eight minutes of ice time per game, but to make a long story short, all signs at this early stage point to Koivu being a potential draft steal.

Of interest from Finnish Liiga website to Habs fans: Aatos Koivu saying he thinks he’s better than Saku was at the same age. And that his shot is already better than his father’s was in his prime. https://t.co/TVZtBHq7Ha

— Luci (@WubbzWubbz) September 13, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

The prospect showcase was an exciting moment last season, as it was Connor Bedard’s first time in an NHL uniform for the Hawks. He definitely did not disappoint. While this year’s showcase will still be exciting, the Hawks got some bad news on Wednesday. [Chicago Blackhawks]

Receiving the Luke Hughes news on Thursday was not the way the New Jersey Devils and their fans wanted to start the 2024-25 season. Life goes on, however, and the Devils are going to need a replacement. [New Jersey Devils]

The annual NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan has a long history of showcasing future NHL impact performers. Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill has brought more than his fair share of those future stars to the tournament through the years. [Detroit Red Wings]