Prospect Info: Florian Xhekaj

[Favster]

I'm honestly shocked how good his straight line speed has gotten, he can fly. Definitely looks like he has a future in the N.

 

[L4br3cqu3]

I was one. Thought it was a pick to appease Arber.

Never too proud to admit I was wrong there. They correctly identified a potential in the kid.

Was also one, for basically the same reasons, even though I'm a proponent for more size/grittiness in drafts, just thought it was way too early for him.

He certainly improved all season long, we'll see how it goes for the rest, could envision him being a Marcus Foligno type of player if he keeps developing. He's not there yet.

Edit: I think the same about Aatos Koivu in the '24 draft, we'll see how it goes.

 

[Victoire HuGo]

Reminder:

Several posters were angry about the Habs drafting FX.

I'll admit I was. It felt like a little nepotism and I felt 4th round for him was a little early. I think management confirmed other teams had him on their radar.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

The nepotism brigade will tell you we shouldn't draft brothers and sons, but will have no problem drafting a dwarf who has 8.07% chances of making it.

Sometimes, teams just know a player.

I am sure the Capitals are quite happy with their nepo Protas pick right now.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Haven't had a chance to see his fights, is he really that bad or just facing other teams good fighters.

Florian is another case of the mischaracterization of a player's strengths and projected role. As a big, lanky kid, Florian was able to abuse teenagers he faced in the OHL. He's neither a particularly good fighter nor that strong on his skates. Against pro-level hockey plays he will be overpowered in most fights that he will get into. While he plays with an edge, Florian's future and greatest strength are his hockey skills. He has above average straight forward skating ability, good vision and an NHL level shot. As I have pointed out, Florian's hockey skills allowed him to run the Branford power play last year and his goal scoring success in his AHL rookie season and are a testament to Florian's high level hockey skills. This is no enforcer.

I think its time to go past the primitive 'my daddy can beat up your daddy' mindset in assessing Florian's potential. We don't want this kid fighting. We want him on the ice where he can leverage his size and skill to become a productive and important player for us in the future. A productive future that is readily available if this kid picks up that missing step of quickness that he currently lacks.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I hope Thorpe makes it too.

He faces the same challenge as Florian, he has to get quicker to make the next level.

 

[montreal]

Florian is already too good for the AHL. Im confident he will make the team in Montreal next year and the Xhekaj brothers will be terrorizing the NHL

I've been likely his biggest fan on this board since he was moved to center last year with the Bulldogs, but I wouldn't go that far, he's finding his way in the AHL and once he adds a good bit of mass and hopefully gets a little quicker, stronger he will be a force. Got to work on that lower body so he becomes tougher to knock over.

Proof that i don’t know shit about draft Even if i follow it. Was underwhelmed about the 2023 draft and the Xhekaj pick. Well, we got probably a top3 def/#1 goalie and a gritty bottom6 player (Third pair d with Bogdan). Solid 3 drafts all in all

I saw only 1 game in his draft year and thought he looked like shit, but that's why I was going crazy for him last year as the rate of progress was among the best I have ever seen in my 25+ years of following Hab prospects. To go from looking like shit to dominating the OHL while being moved to a tougher position, that is impressive, here's the game I saw, maybe I just caught a bad night but I recall when we drafted him thinking that was a waste of a pick that high, but sometimes emotions get the better of us vs logical thinking.