The Montreal Canadiens will be without Florian Xhekaj for about two weeks after the young forward suffered a lower-body injury, according to reports.
Xhekaj left Monday’s practice after only a few minutes when he appeared to be in discomfort. He was first described as day-to-day, but the team had not given any specifics at that point. Now the timeline is clearer, and it leaves Montreal shuffling its forward group a little longer.
The 22-year-old has appeared in just two games this season and has yet to register a point. He’s also sitting at minus-4, while his contract comes with a $941,666 cap hit.
His absence could be a real opening for Owen Beck, who was called up from the Laval Rocket to help cover for Montreal’s injuries up front. With Xhekaj out for two weeks, Beck may get a longer run with the big club than originally expected.
That’s especially useful for a team that keeps getting hit by injuries. Maxime Truman reported that Ivan Demidov could be back within days, while Oliver Kapanen has been skating for two days and still hasn’t made his season debut. Juraj Slafkovsky is also taking a therapy day today, though there’s no sign that it’s a serious issue.
At 3-3-1, the Canadiens need bodies and they need options. Beck now has more time to turn a strong training camp into a steady role, and Montreal could use the extra physical presence he brings in the bottom six.
For Xhekaj, it’s a tough break after he worked to win a roster spot. His progress gets interrupted, and now the focus shifts to recovery and getting back on the ice as soon as possible.
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