Montreal Canadiens call up a secret weapon against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
With the Montreal Canadiens looking to replace some injured forwards and ditch their losing streak, they have called up a ringer against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Going into tonight's Hockey Night in Canada matchup, both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens are struggling.
The Canadiens have gone from first in the Atlantic Division to sixth, while the Maple Leafs are just a couple of points out of last place.
Needless to say, both of these teams need a win tonight. Furthermore, both of these teams are dealing with a plethora of injuries and have been forced to call players up.
In fact, the Montreal Canadiens have a secret weapon at their disposal tonight, and it could become a bit of a problem for the Maple Leafs.
Florian Xhekaj enters the Montreal Canadiens' lineup
Florian Xhekaj, the 21-year-old brother of Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj, is going to be in the lineup tonight. Interestingly enough, this will be Florian's NHL debut.
The Xhekaj brothers are going to be able to share the ice in Montreal tonight, and it is going to be a special moment for both young men.
As you can imagine, this will probably energize the Canadiens as a whole. The fanbase will be amped up, Xhekaj's family will be in attendance, and the Habs are simply looking for revenge after losing to the Leafs in the season opener.
Florian Xhekaj's stats at a glance
When it comes to Florian Xhekaj's statistics, it has been a difficult season with the Laval Rocket in the AHL. He has just four points in 16 games.
This is a far cry from his production last season, when he had 35 points in 69 games, including 24 goals and 11 assists. Simply put, he needs to be better.
However, the Habs are trusting him enough to play an NHL game against the Maple Leafs, so he must be doing something right.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 22 | 433 ANSWERS Montreal Canadiens call up a secret weapon against the Toronto Maple Leafs Do you believe Florian Xhekaj will have an effective debut with the Montreal Canadiens? | ||
| YES | 307 | 70.9 % |
| NO | 126 | 29.1 % |
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