Florian Xhekaj out 2 weeks as Slafkovsky returns for Habs

The Habs' injury report got longer Friday. The headline is the younger Xhekaj brother.

Eric Engels

@EricEngels

Habs say Florian Xhekaj is out two weeks with a lower-body injury

This was coming. Florian Xhekaj hasn't played since October 8, and he left practice early Monday and hadn't skated since. Friday made it official: at least 2 more weeks on the shelf. That's rough timing for a 22-year-old who made the opening-night roster out of camp and had only played 2 games before he went down.

It's a long way from where he started. Montreal took Florian 101st overall in the 2023 draft, and he's been playing in the shadow of his big brother Arber, the fan favourite on the Habs blue line. Making the team out of camp was his breakout. Now he'll spend the end of October in the trainer's room, hoping a depth spot is still open when he comes back.

The good news Friday was about the guy Montreal can least afford to lose.

Eric Engels

@EricEngels

Slafkovsky available to play tomorrow, says Martin St. Louis

Slafkovsky sat out Friday's practice on what the team called a therapy day after Washington's Ivan Miroshnichenko hit him hard on Wednesday. Any time your top-6 winger is missing practice the day after a big hit, everybody holds their breath, so St. Louis clearing him for Saturday is a relief. Slaf had 2 assists the last time these 2 teams met.

The blue line is still a question mark, though.

Eric Engels

@EricEngels

Habs say no change to Matheson’s status. Day-to-day,

Matheson was ruled out against Buffalo on Tuesday with a lower-body injury, and Montreal still found a way, winning 4-3 in a shootout. He's still day-to-day, which in hockey can mean tomorrow or next week. He isn't the only one out, either: Ivan Demidov and Samuel Montembeault were also still sidelined Friday with no change to their status. The Habs got Oliver Kapanen back in regular reps on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, so the lineup is getting some help.

Next up is a rematch with the Sabres Saturday night at the Bell Centre. Slafkovsky is in, Xhekaj is out until around Halloween, and Matheson is a game-time call. It's a patched-together roster in October, and so far St. Louis keeps finding a way to make it work.