NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens
NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens
Prospects Florian Xhekaj and Owen Beck both had impressive training camps with the Montreal Canadiens, making it difficult to send either of them to the Laval Rocket (AHL). Xhekaj immediately earned a job out of training camp, while Beck had to return to the Laval in what would become a very temporary assignment.
The 22-year-old centre from Port Hope, Ontario, continues to impress now that he’s playing in the NHL, but couldn’t crack the lineup at the start of the season, largely thanks to last year’s addition of Phillip Danault. With injuries mounting in Montreal, Beck got his first call-up in early October after Xhekaj suffered a lower-body injury, but his stay with the big club was short-lived, until an injury to captain Nick Suzuki led to yet another call-up.
Beck And Xhekaj Making A Case To Stay
Since then, Xhekaj and Beck have made the most of their opportunity skating alongside Kapanen on the fourth line. The trio has injected a healthy dose of grit, speed, and energy into the Canadiens’ bottom six while delivering the reliable defensive play that head coach Martin St-Louis quickly preaches. They’re not logging a ton of ice time, averaging just seven to nine minutes per game, but they’re certainly making those minutes count.
In their two games together, the trio has controlled over 60 percent of the shots at 5v5. They’ve also outscored their opponents 2-0 while posting an elite expected-goals percentage of 64.5%. To further underscore their strong play, they’ve controlled more than 70 percent of the scoring chances in their limited time together.
They’re also beginning to establish an identity on the fourth line, one that opposing teams are starting to feel. Beck even dropped the gloves against Pittsburgh’s Blake Lizotte, earning the Canadiens’ first fighting major of the season. That probably wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, but it offers a clear window into what Beck must do to stick in the NHL. Prior to being drafted, Beck met with several teams, and the consistent message was that he needed to improve every aspect of his physicality: strength, aggressiveness, and ultimately a higher hit rate.
Owen Beck lands a huge hit, and then wins his fight. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/tar4cbvcyV
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) November 1, 2026
As it stands, Xhekaj leads the Canadiens in hits per 60 with 20.8, while Beck ranks second at 13.9.
These kids are gritty, energetic and, increasingly, productive. Beck has quietly picked up three points in five games, including his first goal of the season against Winnipeg on November 3, while Xhekaj has contributed three points in six games. An encouraging situation for a pair of young players who had to work incredibly hard to earn their extended audition with the Canadiens.
And therein lies the problem.
Who Sits?
What happens when Kirby Dach recovers from his illness, and Suzuki and Ivan Demidov return from injury? Multiple players will have to come out of the lineup. But how do you sit skaters who have done everything asked of them? And how do you send them back to the minors when they’ve made such a compelling case to stay?
Both Beck and Xhekaj have shown they can contribute at the NHL level. They’ve earned their opportunities, and the Canadiens are benefiting from having them. Suddenly, Montreal has something it hasn’t enjoyed in a very long time: legitimate depth, with more capable forwards than available roster spots.
That’s a pretty good problem to have, but it still leaves St-Louis with some difficult decisions ahead. With Suzuki’s return imminent and Demidov eventually returning, roster spots will become increasingly precious. And while nobody wants to see a young player lose his place after playing so well, someone is inevitably going to be the odd man out.
Roster Moves, Anyone?
Of course, this is where things get interesting. Canadiens fans are already accustomed to playing armchair general manager, and a roster crunch is practically an invitation to start drawing up trade proposals. Is it time to package Dach, Samuel Montembeault and Adam Engström for that elusive second-line centre?
All kidding aside, the Canadiens have a good problem on their hands.
For once, the question isn’t who can fill a hole in the lineup. It’s how on earth they’re going to find enough room for everyone who deserves to be there. And that’s a pretty nice position for Kent Hughes and St-Louis to be in.
All advanced statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via Natural Stat Trick.