MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens preseason is officially underway, and the Xhekaj family has already delivered the most viral moment of the early NHL slate. During Saturday’s split-squad action against the Toronto Maple Leafs, fan-favorite defenseman Arber Xhekaj proved that family ties run deep—even from inside the penalty box.
The Fight: Florian Xhekaj Drops the Gloves with Marshall Rifai
While Arber was holding down the fort at Bell Centre, his younger brother, prospect Florian Xhekaj, was skating in the parallel split-squad game in Toronto. Known for bringing the same physical edge that made his older brother a sensation in Montreal, Florian dropped the gloves in an intense scrap against Toronto defenseman Marshall Rifai.
The bout quickly sent social media into a frenzy, with fans praising the younger Xhekaj for holding his ground and establishing his presence on the ice.
The Viral Moment: Watching from the Penalty Box
The highlight of the day came when Arber Xhekaj found himself serving a penalty during Montreal’s home game. While sitting inside the penalty box, Arber was caught on camera glancing down at a smartphone to watch the live clip of his brother’s fight taking place miles away.
Images and video clips of the elder Xhekaj wearing a proud smile while watching Florian throw down flooded X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Reddit, instantly spawning memes under the unifying hockey phrase: «Hockey is so back!»
Preseason Energy ignites Canadiens Nation
The viral moment capped an explosive start to training camp for Martin St. Louis’ squad, reinforcing why the Xhekaj brothers have captured the hearts of Habitant fans. Beyond the viral antics, both brothers continue to push for key roster spots as Montreal prepares for a highly anticipated campaign following their deep playoff run last season.