Q&A Recap: Florian Xhekaj

BROSSARD - The WiFi signal has never been stronger in Montreal.

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Florian Xhekaj, the Canadiens' fourth-round pick (101st overall) at this year's draft, joins brother Arber, aka WiFi, as a member of one of the most storied franchises in professional sports.

The younger Xhekaj answered fan questions on Twitch during the team's development camp that ran from July 1-4.

Here are a few highlights from the Q&A:

Please note that the questions and answers have been modified for clarity and conciseness.

Florian Xhekaj on being drafted by the same team as his brother:

I think it's super cool, I'm honored. It's cool to be in the same organization as him. Obviously, he told me it's the best organization in the League. There's nothing like Montreal, so I'm excited!

Xhekaj on his strengths as a player:

My competitiveness, my will to win puck battles and using my size to take pucks to the net and protect them.

Xhekaj on his answer to the Canadiens' scouting staff's question about which animal a player would choose to be:

That was a tough one. I was sitting on that one for a little bit, but I think I said a grizzly bear or something. Just something big and ferocious, I guess.

Xhekaj on the prospect of playing in a home opener at the Bell Centre one day:

The fans are crazy loud and it just looks so awesome to play in. Obviously, I saw my brother skate his rookie lap with no helmet on. It was a super cool moment. For me to be drafted here and hopefully one day live that moment… it's just awesome.

Xhekaj on his goals for next season:

I want to score 30 goals next year. So that's a pretty big goal, but I think I can achieve it. Obviously I want my team to do well. I think we're going to have a pretty good team next year, so win a championship, hopefully. We'll see.

Xhekaj on who is better at Playstation between himself and Arber:

He never really played and I played for maybe, like, a couple of years during COVID. So I think I'm probably better... We played a few games of NHL, and I always beat him. But yeah, he never really got into it.

Xhekaj on cheering for the Philadelphia Flyers and the Canadiens growing up:

One of my neighbors gave me and my brother hats when we were on the street and we had Montreal hats. But then she just gave me a Flyers hat. I don't know, one day I guess I said Flyers. So then I just always wore that hat and started to like them. But Montreal was one of my favorites for sure, always.