Kreider in Montreal: Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj Will Have to Wait a Little Longer

Mathis Therrien
Kreider in Montreal: Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj Will Have to Wait a Little Longer
Credit: Matt Garies/NHLI via Getty Images

Everyone agrees that signing Kreider was a really smart move by the Montreal Canadiens' front office.

It's a great acquisition, as Kreider will bring exactly what the second line was missing last season: physicality and scoring ability to support Ivan Demidov.

Of course, by taking a spot in the top six of the lineup, some forwards will be pushed down the order, including one who will have to settle for the role of 13th forward.

It's clear that this forward will be unhappy, but at least he'll be part of the team—unlike other young players on the Laval Rocket who have been waiting for their chance in the NHL for quite some time.

I'm thinking, among others, of Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj, who have both had a taste of the NHL since turning pro, without quite establishing themselves there.

And now, with the season fast approaching and the Habs having only 12 forwards, Beck and Xhekaj would surely have fought for the spot as the extra forward.

But now, with Kreider's arrival—barring injuries during the season—the two young players are likely to be sent down to the Laval Rocket once again.

Grant McCagg puts it very well in this excerpt, noting that Beck and Xhekaj will have to wait a little longer before getting their chance and earning a spot in the NHL.

Of course, things could still change, as Kent Hughes looks to complete a trade, which could free up a spot for one of the two young players.

If several active players in the Habs' top 12 are traded—say, for Kirill Marchenko—then Beck and/or Xhekaj might end up with a spot of their own.

All of this remains to be seen, but it's clear that if the two young players don't get a spot once again for the entire season, they'll never end up getting one, given that higher-profile prospects like Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky will move ahead of them.

So let's see what the plan is with these two young players from the Laval Rocket.


In a Flash

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