CHL to NHL: Xhekaj makes impact in NHL debut with Habs

Former Brantord Bulldogs forward Florian Xhekaj made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night.

In a 5-2 win over Toronto, Xhekaj saw 9:48 of ice time and registered one assist, seven penalty minutes, two shots, one block and three hits.

Across two seasons with the Bulldogs, Xhekaj tallied 47 goals and 90 points in 131 games.

As a pro in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, he has amassed 39 points (26 goals) in 88 games. In his first season as a professional last year, he had 24 goals and 35 points alongside 175 penalty minutes in 69 games.

Montreal selected the 21-year-old 101st overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Ça y est

Yes, it's happening
#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/5nmk91nRZZ

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 22, 2025