Florian Xhekaj will be out for two weeks

The Canadiens have provided a medical update.

Florian Xhekaj will have to sit out for another two weeks due to the lower-body injury that has kept him out of several games.

This is a tough blow for the young player, who is trying to establish himself in the NHL.

F. Xhekaj out for two weeks with LBI #GoHabsGo

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) October 16, 2026

Arber's brother hasn't seen much ice time this year. He missed the first few games (was left out of the lineup) and then got injured in his second game of the season. He's been sidelined ever since.

We wish him a speedy recovery. After all, the longer he waits, the less likely he'll secure his spot in the lineup—especially since he hasn't made a strong impression during his opportunities since the start of the regular season.

While the Canadiens are hoping to see Oliver Kapanen return to action—he's been a regular at practice—the team continues to deal with injuries on offense.

Juraj Slafkovsky (absent this morning) joins Florian Xhekaj and Ivan Demidov on the injured list. They, too, were obviously not on the ice in Brossard with the rest of the team this morning.

On defense, Mike Matheson and Samuel Montembeault do not appear to be anywhere near a return to action. We'll see if the Habs provide an update on the defenseman shortly.

Details to follow…