The more I watch Florian Xhekaj, the more I become impressed with his overall hockey skills. He sees the ice well and has an offensive ability that allows him to see the flow of play and pass to zones where a team mate will (or should ) be. He makes numerous intuitive, if not subtle passes that is not expected of a player who is seen as a large, secondary forward. The fact that Brantford uses him on the right point/half boards man on their number one power play unit is not surprising. His vision, anticipation and passing skills are as good as any player on the Bulldogs.
The younger Xhekaj reminds me in many ways of MacKenzie Entwistle, now of the Chicago Black Hawks. While Xhekaj displays a much higher offensive skill level and plays a more physical game than Entwistle, he does not have Entwistle's overall skating ability. He does not yet possess NHL level skating, but if Xhekaj can gain a bit more quickness, there's no reason he can't be an important bottom six forward for the Canadiens in the near future.
