Florian Xhekaj’s path at Canadiens camp is getting easier to read by the day, and Monday morning brought another clear sign that he’s being handed a real shot.
The young forward skated in Group B alongside Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson, a setup that points to a meaningful opportunity to win a roster spot and open the season in Montreal.
JF Chaumont laid out the Group B combinations this way:
“Bolduc-Dach-Texier
Newhook-Evans-Berard
F. Xhekaj-Danault-Anderson
Poulin-McKown-Mesar
Matheson-Dobson
Engström-Reinbacher
Szuber-Walsh
McCallum-Haché
Montembeault
Kahkonen”
Among those pairings, the Xhekaj line jumps out the most. There are already changes in some of the other combinations, including Filip Mesar’s, but the biggest takeaway is the team’s choice to place Florian Xhekaj with two established veterans.
That’s a meaningful look for a player who arrived at camp at 215 pounds, which is 20 more than last year. The added size fits the kind of assignment he’s getting here, especially next to Danault and Anderson, two forwards known for handling defensive responsibilities.
Anderson’s presence makes the line even more interesting. He was just named an alternate captain during the recent golf tournament, which only adds to the significance of Xhekaj skating beside him.
The crease situation for the session was also confirmed, with Samuel Montembeault and Kaapo Kahkonen sharing Group B duties.
Montembeault’s future in Montreal, as the source put it, does not look especially encouraging.
For Florian Xhekaj, though, the momentum is heading in the opposite direction. He played just five NHL games last season and finished with one assist, but this camp setup suggests the Canadiens are at least giving him a serious chance to carve out a place.
The Xhekaj family storyline is getting another layer too, with his older brother Arber having just signed a one-year deal with the organization.
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