Pascal Vincent went on the record Thursday about Florian Xhekaj, and the Montreal Canadiens organization clearly has real belief in this 21-year-old forward.
"I'm a big fan of Florian Xhekaj," Vincent said on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro. "I think this guy is going to be a good player in the NHL, and I think he's going to be a good playoff player."
That's not a vague compliment. That's a projection with teeth, and it came from someone close to the organization.
Florian appeared in 5 games for the Canadiens this season, posting 1 point and finishing at -1. Slim numbers, yes. But the Habs didn't call him up to pad stats.
He's 21. The reps matter more than the box score right now.
Florian Xhekaj's NHL audition is just getting started
His older brother Arber is already entrenched in the Montreal lineup. The elder Xhekaj played 65 regular season games this year and appeared in 13 playoff contests, adding 1 goal and 1 assist.
Having one Xhekaj in the building is one thing. Building a pathway for a second is an entirely different organizational bet.
The Canadiens finished the regular season at 48-24-10 with 106 points. This wasn't a rebuilding team anymore.
Martin St-Louis is coaching a roster with actual playoff ambition, which means every callup has to fit that timeline. Vincent's endorsement suggests the organization believes Florian is already close enough to that standard to matter.
At $866,667 on his deal, the cost of keeping him in the system is nothing. The upside, if Vincent's read is right, is considerable.
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The part worth watching? The "playoff player" framing is deliberate. Anyone inside a winning organization knows that's a different category than just being a regular contributor in November.
Whether Florian earns real minutes in Montreal next season is the question nobody in that locker room has fully answered yet.
Do you believe Florian Xhekaj will become a regular part of the Canadiens' roster next season?
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