Canadiens’ Xhekaj has fighting words for anyone wanting to test his brother
The Montreal Canadiens may open their preseason schedule by reuniting two brothers who are playing in the organization.
Montreal is set to play their first preseason game of the new season tomorrow night against the Philadelphia Flyers, and it looks like both Arber and Florian Xhekaj may slot into the roster together. This would be the first time the two brothers have played together at the professional level.
Both Arber and Florian did their media availability together this morning. When the younger Florian was asked if he was up to the challenge of NHL preseason games, Arber let it be known that opposing players would have to go through him first.
“Nobody is going to test him ’cause I’m going to be there,” Arber said to a round of laughter from media in the room.
l'intervention du jour 😂
don't mess with the Xhekajs#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/dTHdXdo7R3
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 22, 2024
While the 23-year-old Arber is entering his third NHL season with the Canadiens and has already become a fan favourite due to his physical play, the 20-year-old Florian wants to make more of an impression.
Arber was originally signed by the Canadiens as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and made the jump from the OHL directly into the NHL during the 2022-23 season. Florian, on the other hand, was drafted by the Canadiens in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.
Unlike his older brother, Florian is a forward who is coming off an OHL season with the Brantford Bulldogs that saw him score 34 goals and 65 points in 63 games. Though he may be the younger sibling to the hulking six-foot-four, 240-lb Arber, he still has an intimidating frame of his own at six-foot-four, 190 lbs.
Florian has undoubtedly inherited the family’s fighting gene in the OHL.
That is a very good size for a young player, and Habs fans hope he can eventually develop into something of a power forward for the club. With his brother already in the same organization and seemingly primed to be on the ice with him in the same game, it should help Florian be a bit more comfortable than usual.
We’ll see if he can impress the Canadiens’ front office.