Canadiens Prospects: Florian Xhekaj Flourishing In Laval

The Montreal Canadiens have many prospects with NHL aspirations, and while most bring a certain amount of value to the table for the Laval Rocket, few can match the play of 20-year-old forward Florian Xhekaj.

Xhekaj didn’t just enjoy a decent season as a rookie in the AHL, he managed to score 24 goals in 69 games, a rather impressive scoring rate for any prospect entering into his first professional hockey season.

Keep in mind, most prospects need top-six usage to reach the 20-goal mark, especially during a rookie campaign. That was not the case for Xhekaj, as he mostly featured on the fourth line, playing a rough-and-tumble style of hockey alongside players like Jared Davidson and Owen Beck.

Oh, and he also led the AHL in penalty minutes, a good reminder that he pairs his underrated offensive production with a heavy dose of truculence, the exact combination Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes tends to gravitate towards.

Xhekaj scored a beautiful goal on Wednesday night, establishing an important one-goal lead in the third period of Laval’s series versus the Rochester Americans. It ended up being the game-winning goal for the Rocket in their 4-1 win over the Americans, giving Laval an opportunity to close out the series at home on Friday night.

It was the type of goal that coaches could use to teach young players how to drive the net. Xhekaj gained speed in the neutral zone, dropped his shoulder, and carved out a path to the net before using a great backhand goal against Devon Levi, one of the most highly touted goaltender prospects in the AHL.

Florian Xhekaj scores a beautiful goal to give the Laval Rocket a 2-1 lead.

Backhand goals are always great. #LavalRocket pic.twitter.com/aYTLPRfDyh

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) May 22, 2025

Can Xhekaj Make The NHL One Day?

The great goal led to the usual line of questioning in regard to Xhekaj’s potential, giving us an opportunity to discuss what the future may hold for the 101st overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

I’ve heard lots of great things about him this year but haven’t watched much, do you think he projects as an effective 3rd/4th line NHLer or you think he’s more destined to be an AHLer? I’ll hang up and listen, thanks

— Charles Benjamin (@charlesbdb) May 22, 2025

Charles’ question is the most common Xhekaj query.

Does Florian Xhekaj truly possess NHL potential? Can he one day feature on the team’s third or fourth line?

I’m not a fan of making sweeping proclamations about prospects. It tends to add a lot of pressure to young players who are already dealing with a bevy of new variables as they adjust to life in the pros. We also have to allow for some peaks and valleys, as development is rarely linear.

With that in mind, I’d be a fool to ignore Xhekaj’s skill set.

Not only do I believe Xhekaj will probably make the NHL one day, a rarity for a player picked in the fourth round, I’m not sure if I could draw-up a player who is better suited for playing in the bottom-six with the Habs.

Everyone once in a while, a team will ask an NHL star to create the perfect NHL player for use on social media. They pick Nathan MacKinnon’s skating, Sidney Crosby’s intelligence, Nick Suzuki’s endurance, and Connor McDavid’s speed of execution, among other assets from top players in the league.

Well, if I had to recreate that experiment for the perfect bottom-six player, I would pick Xhekaj’s drive, Xhekaj’s intensity, Xhekaj’s physicality, Xhekaj’s offensive prowess, Xhekaj’s defensive acumen, and Xhekaj’s versatility.

Simply put, he’s forcing his way into the NHL conversation, and since he’s doing so by playing limited minutes in the AHL, it’s safe to assume he could provide even more value with an increase in ice time.

I don’t want to give anyone the impression that he’s bound to win the Art Ross Trophy, but Xhekaj’s penchant for outworking his opponents will serve him well once he’s ready to fight for a job with the Montreal Canadiens.

Is Xhekaj Ready For The NHL Next Season?

Hab next year?

— Tyler (@sasksportsguy85) May 22, 2025

Tyler wants to know if Florian Xhekaj will make an impact in the NHL as early as next season, a reasonable question when we consider he finished second in Rocket goal-scoring this year, despite receiving much less ice time than most players in the top five.

At the risk of being proven wrong by a Xhekaj for the nth time in the last few years, I’m not quite convinced he’s ready for the NHL.

At least not yet.

And that’s perfectly fine, especially since he’s still in the midst of his rookie season.

I’d argue  Davidson’s game is a little more polished, giving him the inside track should the Montreal Canadiens look for reinforcements from the farm. Again, that’s par for the course. Davidson is a couple of years older and has more professional experience.

ON TOPIC: Xhekaj And Davidson Find Their Rhythm In the AHL

But even if it takes another season, or two, or three, the mere fact that we have evidence to suggest a player picked 101st overall will one day make it to the NHL is a significant boon for the Canadiens.

In the meantime, tempering our expectations is in order, as producing in the NHL is a much more difficult proposal than doing the same thing in the AHL.

Are There Any Good Comparisons In The NHL?

Some have asked whether he could be a Tom Wilson lite, or if he could emulate the Ottawa Senators’ super pest, Ridly Greig.

Those who follow my prospect analysis know that I tend to avoid comparisons. Honestly, I hate them, because we don’t use enough nuance in a situation that calls for a lot of it, but there’s some value to be had if we focus on certain skills rather than the total package.

However, if he makes it to the NHL, he will do so as Florian Xhekaj 1.0, not Greig 2.0.

In many ways, he really does represent the mythical animal that Montreal Canadiens scouts brought up when they attempted to gauge when he’d be drafted.

Dare I say… pic.twitter.com/9as1BICzKV

— Malyssa (@23MAlyssa) May 22, 2025