BROSSARD – When Jake Evans arrived at 2021 Canadiens Training Camp, he had two goals in mind: make the NHL and stay there.
He accomplished both.
But Evans’ path to becoming an NHL regular wasn’t a straight one. The seventh-round pick spent 118 games in the AHL before finally making the jump to hockey’s highest level. Looking back, Evans “likes to think he had a chance” at an NHL career, but there were no guarantees.
More than 400 NHL games later, Evans has become a staple in Montreal’s lineup.
Now, several players at Canadiens Training Camp are hoping to follow a similar path. Among them is Florian Xhekaj, who is looking to turn his opportunity into a permanent spot in the NHL.
“I still have a lot to prove,” said the younger Xhekaj brother on Wednesday. “Just show up every day and do what I have to do.”
What that means exactly is up to the Habs management and coaching staff but if one thing’s for sure, the physical 22-year-old winger has put them on notice. With one game remaining in camp –– a split-squad matchup with the Ottawa Senators on Saturday –– Xhekaj is focused on leaving one final impression.
“I have to earn a spot here and I’m willing to do anything to do that.”
The good news for the Hamilton, ON native is that he skated with the NHL group in Brossard on Wednesday, meaning, at the very least, his name is in the mix.
Group A
