Tyler Major-Mcnicol

2 weeks ago | si.com | Tyler Major-Mcnicol

Lynden Lakovic is an impressive young man, whom many have to look up to to have a conversation. The 6-foot-4 and 190-pound left-shot forward plays a heavy game, but knows there are areas for improvement. He is proactive in acknowledging the parts he isn’t happy with and intends to improve them. Lakovic is a sneaky good pick, and that will only cement itself when he is selected very early.

3 weeks ago | si.com | Tyler Major-Mcnicol

The Xhekaj family story is one of the best feel-good, "got it out of the mud" stories across the NHL. Arber, the elder Xhekaj brother, made the Canadiens roster as an undrafted player and then enamored the Bell Centre faithful in short order. Florian, the younger of the brothers, was looked at as a reach when he was drafted 101st overall in the 2022 NHL draft. But that didn’t deter Montreal Canadiens Director of European scouting Nikolai Bobrov, who went to bat and called Xhekaj a unicorn.

3 weeks ago | yardbarker.com | Tyler Major-Mcnicol

Thankfully, and hopefully, he’ll be around when the club challenges these big four teams down the road. With Stanley Cup glory on the line, Xhekaj is the type of defensemen you want in the lineup; the kind of defenseman that will go to bat for his teammates. Retaining Xhekaj and then adding Florian Xhekaj to the mix down the road is exactly what the team needs. Let the Sheriff patrol the Canadiens' blue line next time around during the playoffs, and something beautiful might happen.

3 weeks ago | si.com | Tyler Major-Mcnicol

Arber Xhekaj is the kind of player that nearly every NHL general manager covets, and many successful teams have a player with a similar profile. If you find a diamond in the rough like Xhekaj, you hold onto him. 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensemen don’t grow on trees. Add into the mix that he has brilliant mobility and a big bottom of a slap shot, and then he begins to present a certain level of intrigue.

3 weeks ago | yardbarker.com | Tyler Major-Mcnicol

Another great aspect of Aitcheson’s game is his cerebral offensive instincts and creativity. He is willing to support on the rush, as a fourth forward option, and his shot from the blueline is heavy and accurate. Aitcheson would benefit from another season in the Ontario Hockey League, followed by a full year in the American Hockey League. However, if the Canadiens pull the trigger and select Aitcheson, you have to think it signals that a couple of in-house left defensemen get shipped out.