Renaud Lavoie Drops Scoop, Confirms Excellent News on Florian Xhekaj with the Canadiens

He wasn't afraid to say that the forward was a unicorn.

The scout strongly sold the young man to the other scouts and didn't hesitate to say to everyone that the club had to draft him.

Two years later, at his second professional camp, we can say that the Russian scout was right.

The younger Xhekaj not only had an excellent rookie camp, but he also made a superb impression in his first preseason game last Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

All of this, in front of his mom who made the trip to see, for the first time in the NHL, her two sons playing together.

Florian was also solid against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Beyond his goal and his fight, it's the physical side of the 21-year-old that impresses. The player who finished last season with 175 penalty minutes in the AHL isn't afraid to throw body checks and go to the tough areas.

He is exactly the type of player the Habs have been looking for in their offense for ages.

That's why Renaud Lavoie questioned, on BPM Sports, whether the club could really afford to be without him at the start of the next season.

According to TVA Sports' hockey insider, the younger Xhekaj brother has incredible hockey intelligence. He knows how to play, as shown by his 24 goals in 65 games last season with the Laval Rocket, and he can play physically.

The battle, however, will be tough for the final roster spots on offense for the Habs.

Florian will have to compete with Joe Veleno and Samuel Blais by the end of camp.

The problem for him is that the Canadiens aren't looking for a fourth-line player - that line will likely be made up of Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, and Brendan Gallagher - but rather a player to complete Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc on the third line.

The question is whether Florian can currently fill that role.

One thing is certain: if he starts the season in Laval with the Rocket, Florian will have left quite a good calling card to be among the first call-ups by the big club if needed.

Above all, remember this: Renaud Lavoie confirms what we were hoping - Florian Xhekaj will officially be part of the conversations until the very end. He's truly surprising everyone, and he could indeed start the season in Montreal.