When Florian Xhekaj was drafted 104th overall by the Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] as an overager at the 2023 draft, some believed the Habs had drafted him mainly because of his last name. Still, after one year of pro hockey, no one can believe that anymore. Under Pascal Vincent’s tutelage with the Laval Rocket, the Hamilton, Ontario native gathered 35 points (including 24 goals) in 69 games while also spending 175 minutes in the penalty box. Speaking about the younger Xhekaj’s first season, Vincent qualified it as phenomenal. He said they weren’t expecting it at all, adding he’s looking forward to seeing how he used his offseason. Of course, after such a good first year, the 21-year-old will have raised expectations, but the coach cautions that sometimes, it’s hard to top what was done in the first season, and it’s a matter of establishing what a player’s baseline is. Canadiens: Pascal Vincent Wants Demidov To Play Games [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-pascal-vincent-wants-demidov-to-play-games] Canadiens To Honour Former Blueliner Andrei Markov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-to-honour-former-blueliner-andrei-markov] Canadiens: Behind The Scenes At The Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-behind-the-scenes-at-the-draft] As for Martin Laperriere, he called Xhekaj’s season exceptional, adding they knew he was talented and that he would bring some much-needed grit, but it was much more than that. He raved about his presence on the ice and about his endearing personality. The assistant coach said he was well-liked in the dressing room and often took on the role of master of ceremonies in ping pong games or warm-ups. He added that he’s a natural-born leader and will likely be one of the players who’ll be fighting for a spot on the roster. Should he go back to Laval, though, Laperriere added, it would be good for the team as he's an excellent person. As for what he needs to do to play in the NHL, he praises the way he trained this summer, showing some more muscular mass. He needs to add a bit of consistency, but he’s doing all the right things: winning his draws, going in the corner, and being able to score. He describes him as an interesting package. The work ethic is also evident; the hard-nosed player is one of the ones who stops by the coaches’ offices, asking if they have clips from him and what he should be working on. Whichever way you look at it, the Sheriff’s brother seems to be pulling all the right moves, and if the Canadiens were to deal with injuries this upcoming season, he could earn himself a call-up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens. Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] on The Hockey News.
