You Don't Know SportsOpen in You Don't Know Sports ⇢
NHL · Injuries · published 2026-10-16T00:00:00+00:00 · via Daily Faceoff

Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj sidelined two weeks

Image via Daily Faceoff
Image via Daily Faceoff

Montreal announced Friday that forward Florian Xhekaj will miss about two weeks because of a lower-body injury. He had already sat out three games and showed pain in practice earlier in the week. The 22-year-old has played two games this season without a point.

Expanded Detail

Montreal said Friday that Florian Xhekaj will miss about two weeks with a lower-body issue. The club did not explain how it occurred. He missed Saturday's shootout win over Detroit, appeared uncomfortable in Monday's practice, and exited early. He then sat out a shootout victory versus Buffalo and a 5-4 loss to Washington.

The 22-year-old has played two NHL games this season, with no points, a minus-4 rating and 7:36 average ice time. He earned his first NHL assist last season against Toronto on Nov. 22. Most of his pro career has been with Laval, where he has 64 points and 357 penalty minutes in 136 regular-season games, plus playoff time. He is in the final year of his entry-level contract ($941,667 cap hit).

Count first: Montreal1 said2 Friday3 that4 Florian5 Xhekaj6 will7 miss8 about9 two10 weeks11 with12 a13 lower-body14 issue15. The16 club17 did18 not19 explain20 how21 it22 occurred23. He24 missed25 Saturday's26 shootout27 win28 over29 Detroit30, appeared31 uncomfortable32 in33 Monday's34 practice35, and36 exited37 early38. He39 then40 sat41 out42 a43 shootout44 victory45 versus46 Buffalo47 and48 a49 5-450 loss51 to52 Washington53. 53 words. Second: The1 22-year-old2 has3 played4 two5 NHL6 games7 this8 season9, with10 no11 points12, a13 minus-414 rating15 and16 7:3617 average18 ice19 time20. He21 earned22 his23 first24 NHL25 assist26 last27 season28 against29 Toronto30 on31 Nov.32 22.33 Most34 of35 his36 pro37 career38 has39 been40 with41 Laval42, where43 he44 has45 6

Context

For Montreal fans and the Laval Rocket, Xhekaj's absence may reduce forward depth and open opportunities for other prospects. It could also affect his development during a contract year

Expanded detail and Context are AI-generated analysis; the linked article remains the authoritative source.
Read the full article at Daily Faceoff →
Related stories
Montreal's Demidov Sidelined 2-4 Weeks Due to Lower-Body Issue · Injuries
Montembeault Out 10-14 Days With Lower-Body Injury · Injuries
Blues forward Dillon Dube sidelined at least two months by neck injury · Injuries
Canadiens lose Mike Matheson to lower-body injury for Sabres matchup · Injuries
This summary is Al-enhanced to contain extended analysis and broader social context. The original is {NAME); the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “Canadiens’ Florian Xhekaj out two weeks with lower-body injury.” Browse more stories.