Florian Xhekaj has the potential to break out next season for the Canadiens.
The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most exciting teams in the NHL. They not only made it to the Eastern Conference Final this year but also have plenty of promising prospects in their system. Florian Xhekaj is among them, as the 21-year-old forward has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL forward.
Xhekaj appeared in his first five career NHL games this season with the Canadiens, where he recorded an assist, seven penalty minutes, and nine hits. Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season, he had 17 goals, 29 points, and 182 penalty minutes in 64 games. This is after he had 24 goals, 35 points, and 175 penalty minutes in 69 games for Laval in 2024-25.
Overall, Xhekaj has shown promise at the AHL level. Because of this, the 6-foot-3 forward is a breakout candidate to watch for the 2026-27 season. It would not be surprising in the slightest if the young forward takes another step forward in his development and cements himself a spot in the Canadiens' bottom six because of it.
Xhekaj's toughness and grit are hard to ignore, but he has also shown at the AHL level that he has a bit of a scoring touch. It will be interesting to see if he can translate this kind of play over to the NHL next season with Montreal, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future with the club.