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The time Florian Xhekaj found himself in critical condition at the age of 14

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 6:21 PM ET

On the ice, Florian Xhekaj is a physical player, using his body to distribute checks and disrupt opponents… and it works. Arber’s little brother is winning points with Canadiens management because he brings an interesting element to the line-up when he’s in uniform. And there’s one event in particular that pushed him to become the player he is today. When he was 14, Florian took part in an international hockey tournament and suffered a serious injury. In an article by Eric Engels (Sportsnet), we read that Florian ended up in critical condition… and had to spend several weeks in hospital to get back into shape. It’s scary: I was in a wheelchair. I couldn’t even walk. It was an incredible experience which, I believe, made me what I am today. –

You think the fight Florian Xhekaj is in for an NHL job right now is tough? It pales in comparison to the one the Canadiens prospect faced after an incident in a youth hockey tourney left him in critical condition. (@EricEngels)https://t.co/L5J3aJIOQi –

Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 11, 2025

It could have turned into a nightmare. The Xhekaj family is known to be a close-knit bunch – as we saw this week when the mother of the two brothers made the trip to Montreal for the game against the Flyers, to see her sons in action.

Florian maintains that he remembers that moment like it was yesterday… even though it’s been seven and a half years since it happened. He’ll always remember it, in a way, and that explains why he has the character he has today. We’re talking about a kid who’s not afraid of anything, after all. No one wants to throw down the gloves against Nicolas Deslauriers, but Florian did, and when you consider that the kid racked up 175 penalty minutes (!) in his very first pro season… it’s easy to see that the forward will do anything to get noticed on the ice.

’Overtime’

– The Habs captain had some fun in Vegas.

F

ollow Nick Suzuki behind the scenes at the NHL Player Media Tour!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/sj3lUR5qUq– Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 25, 2025

– Wow.

Couldn’t do this again if they tried. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/ml2wjU3y8p

– St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 23, 2025

– Spoiler alert: Ovi won’t play another game in Hershey. Hehe.

Alex Ovechkin played one game in Hershey, a Capitals’ preseason game against the Penguins, during his rookie season in the NHL https://t.co/sqviUx5duZ –

RMNB (@rmnb) September 25, 2025

– The… 14th child?!

Seahawks RB legend Shaun Alexander just broke the news that he & his wife Valerie are welcoming their 14th child.

Congrats @shaunalexander! – Kay Adams (@heykayadams) September 25, 2025

This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.

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