Canadiens' Xhekaj beats up Leafs prospect in fight and lets out scream

Originally posted on Oilers Daily | Last updated Sep 15, 2024 9:20 AM ET

Rookie training camps are underway across the NHL, and some prospects like the Canadiens' Florian Xhekaj will be making an impression with their physical play.

Just two minutes into a Leafs and Habs rookie tournament game today, Florian Xhekaj grabbed Leafs prospect Chaz Sharpe and laid a beating down. Right after the fight, a fan camera saw Xhekaj let out a primal scream after the fight.

Florian Xhekaj is the brother of Montreal Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj, who also has a reputation for being one of the strongest young fighters in the NHL. The Habs drafted Florian in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft, and the 20 year old forward has already begun playing games for the AHL's Laval Rocket. If the Habs call up both the Xhekaj brothers in the lineup, they could be one of the most physically feared teams in the NHL. The two Xhekaj's are literally regular smash brothers.

Fighting in hockey is arguably becoming less and less prominent with each passing season, but there are still a select few players that inspire fear in their opponents - and both of the Xhekaj brothers fit that description. With these types of players in the lineup, some other players may be less likely to take cheap shots at their teammates.

Source for Florian Xhekaj Stats: HockeyDB - Florian Xhekaj

This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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