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These Rocket Players Would Up Canadiens' Physical Game

The Montreal Canadiens would benefit from the physicality of these Laval Rocket players.

Tyler Major-Mcnicol

Sep 24, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws (50) stops Montreal Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj (60) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Sep 24, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws (50) stops Montreal Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj (60) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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The Laval Rocket were the American Hockey League’s top dog all year, and hadn’t been tested until they reached the Calder Cup final, when the Charlotte Checkers stopped them dead in their tracks.

For many reasons, however, the Rocket kept their heads held high in the moment of defeat, and knew that the ultimate goal had been set — get back to the finals and win. 

Laval’s roster will look different when the start of the 2025-2026 season rolls around, with veterans departing for pay raises, and prospects ready to try and make the jump from the Rocket to the Canadiens roster. 

The Canadiens saw Emil Heineman graduate to a full-time NHL player this year, while Rafael Harvey-Pinard took a step back. But there is a crop of fantastic under-25 forward talent in Laval, and they should be expected to make some noise in late-September into early-October at Canadiens training camp, and especially during preseason matchups.

Hungry players will emerge at camp, but the ones who hate to lose and are starved to win will stick out. Thankfully, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have hand-picked many of their prospects, so the character in the group is off the charts.

Montreal needs to get younger, but at the same time, they must maintain a fine balance between veterans and youth in the lineup. So, bringing in three or four of Laval’s young forwards isn’t likely. But there is a group of five or six forwards with the Rocket that should have the Bell Centre shaking before the regular season starts. 

That group includes:

Florian Xhekaj: In his debut professional season, No. 63 for the Rocket was a physical specimen, and much like his brother Arber, Florian appeared to have a bit of untapped potential. He showed that potential, and a fantastic work ethic pushed him to a 24-goal rookie season. Entering the season at six-foot-four and 205 pounds, Xhekaj could show up at Habs camp as one of the biggest forwards after hitting the weights all summer.

Owen Beck: Beck, just like Xhekaj, played his debut professional season, and the rookie resembles a veteran center, rather than a 20-year-old (now 21) playing his first season in the AHL. The Peterborough, Ontario native flexed his face-off prowess, and his 15 goals and 44 assists are pretty impressive for a guy not labelled as much of a point producer. Beck is six-foot-one and a smidge under 200 pounds, perfect for an NHL top-nine center group.

Oliver Kapanen: Though Kapanen played the majority of his 2024-25 season away from Laval, splitting time between Montreal, where he played 18 games, and Timrå IK, where he played 36 games, and showed great offensive potential (15 goals, and 20 assists), he was a big part of their late season push to the playoffs, and once there his steady two-way game was an asset to the Laval lineup.

Jared Davidson: Davidson is the biggest dark horse of the four forwards being discussed, but he is a pure sniper who leans on his shots, stunning goalies. He is also physical, and like Heineman, has the versatility to play in an NHL middle-six. Though his skating could use a bit of work, he plays a heavy game, translatable to the NHL level.

The Canadiens need to get bigger and play more physically. This has become the recipe to winning Stanley Cups, and adding any of the four players above will make the team a little more difficult to play against. Xhekaj and Davidson will drop the gloves, where Beck and Kapanen are more likely to force a turnover or throw an unexpected slobber knocker body check.

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Tyler Major-Mcnicol
TYLER MAJOR-MCNICOL

Tyler is a former Algonquin College journalism graduate, and passionate hockey fan. His love for the Montreal Canadiens comes second to his love of hockey. With two daughter’s under four years old, hockey is always a topic of conversation. Nothing gets me quite excited like an empty canvas waiting to have a story written on it, and the smell of fresh ice in the air.