The Montreal Canadiens have reached the part of camp where evaluation gives way to decisions, and Florian Xhekaj has made his case as plainly as he can. The question now is whether that case is enough to crack the opening-night roster.
By Monday at 5 PM, Montreal has to hand in a cap-compliant 23-man roster for Tuesday’s opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cap space isn’t the issue.
The real puzzle is simple: with 22 players already under NHL contracts, there may only be room for one more unless Kent Hughes makes a move. And moving a player just to create space for someone else is not really his style, especially not if it means losing an asset for nothing.
Xhekaj has done what he could with the time he was given. Martin St-Louis has noticed.
“He certainly doesn’t have an identity problem. He knows what he is and what he brings, and he brought it with consistency throughout camp.”
That consistency showed up again in the kind of moment Xhekaj is built for, even if he didn’t actually step all the way into it. When Djibril Toure delivered a heavy hit that Alex Newhook felt hard, Josh Anderson rushed in to answer the bell, only to lose his balance and get pinned to the ice by Toure.
Xhekaj came over as Toure headed to the penalty box and made sure he got the message, even if he didn’t follow through on a fight. With Montreal tying the game and then taking the lead, it wasn’t the moment to get dragged into a scrap, and that kind of read will sit well with St-Louis.
Xhekaj said he believes he put everything on the ice to make the team.
“I think I did almost everything I could to show them what I can do out there and how I play. So, yeah, I think I did everything.”
This has been his best camp yet. A year ago, at the 2025 camp, he had added so much weight that his pace suffered.
This time, at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he looks like he has found a much better balance. He has the size to play a heavy game and enough strength to do it without dragging down his speed.
That matters for a player whose value comes from punishing forechecks, separating men from pucks, and creating chances through pressure.
That profile is exactly why Xhekaj has made a real impression. Montreal has long been short on sandpaper up front, the kind of edge a team like the New York Islanders got from Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck.
Xhekaj could be a first piece of that kind of identity line for the Canadiens. The catch is obvious: there has to be room.
Right now, the more likely 23rd man appears to be a defenseman, with David Reinbacher the likeliest candidate, especially with Kaiden Guhle injured. That leaves Xhekaj in a frustrating spot.
He may have done enough. He may even have done more than some players ahead of him, including Kirby Dach.
But Dach has an NHL contract, and it is hard to imagine Hughes putting him on waivers after what it took to acquire him in 2022.
So Xhekaj may have to wait a little longer. If he doesn’t make the opening-night group, the sense is that it won’t be long before he gets his shot.
Injuries happen. Trades happen.
Seasons change quickly. If the Canadiens need a forward, he should be the first name called.
In Other News...
Canadiens Goalie Situation Suddenly Feels Unsettled Before The Opener
The Canadiens goaltending picture has taken on a little more uncertainty on the eve of the opener, with practice offering a contrast that was hard to miss. Samuel Montembeault looked sharp, while Jakub Dobes drew attention for appearing more nonchalant and slow to recover after goals, which stood out as unusual enough to raise questions about where he is physically and where the crease battle stands.
There still has been no official word on Dobes condition, and Montreal has not announced a starter for the season opener against Toronto. For a team that has spent camp sorting out its depth and roles, the silence around the position only adds to the sense that the final answer may not be settled just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Are Counting On Chris Kreider In A Big Way
Chris Kreider arrives in Montreal with the kind of rsum and experience that can change the tone of a lineup quickly. After stops with the Rangers and Ducks, he is set to open the season with the Canadiens on a one-year deal, and his presence immediately gives the club a veteran edge it has been missing. At 34, he is the oldest player on the roster, and he also comes in with a familiar face behind the bench in Martin St. Louis, his former teammate.
For a team trying to keep moving forward, Kreider represents more than just another name added in the summer. The Canadiens are counting on him to settle in fast and help drive play in a prominent role, which puts a spotlight on how quickly he adapts to a new city, a new system and a new set of expectations. Montreal does not have much time to wait on that transition, and his start will be watched closely from the outset. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have Another Reason To Love The Noah Dobson Trade
Kent Hughes blockbuster deal for Noah Dobson already gave the Canadiens a bona fide top right-shot defenseman, and the price only looks more reasonable as time passes. Montreal sent Emil Heineman and two 2025 first-round picks to the Islanders for Dobson, who is coming off a 47-point season in 80 games and is signed through 2033 at a $9.5 million annual cap hit. For a team trying to keep building around a young core, locking in a player with that kind of role and term is the sort of move that can shape the roster for years.
There is also a draft-side layer to the trade that makes it feel even better for Montreal. The Canadiens used one of their own 2025 picks on Alexander Zharovsky at 34th overall, and he has since been ranked 11th in Corey Pronmans re-ranking of the class. In other words, Montreal may have come out of the deal not only with Dobson, but with a prospect who is tracking higher than some of the players the Islanders selected with the picks they received. [Read more 🡒]