The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Florian Xhekaj, the younger brother of defenceman Arber Xhekaj, to a three-year entry-level contract, the team announced on Tuesday.
He also signed a professional tryout offer that will allow him to join the AHL’s Laval Rocket for the remainder of the season.
The 19-year-old finished with 34 goals and 65 points in 63 games for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs this season. He also had five points in six playoff games. He totalled 47 goals and 90 points over the course of his two-year OHL career.
He was selected by the Habs in the fourth round (101st overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Canadiens announced that Arber would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.