Navigating the Montreal Canadiens’ Defensive Dilemma: A Blueprint for Summer Moves

As widely acknowledged, the Montreal Canadiens‘ defensive roster has experienced significant congestion in recent times. With a blend of seasoned veterans and aspiring young talents vying for roster spots, meeting everyone’s expectations has become increasingly challenging.

This summer, there’s a widespread anticipation that Kent Hughes will engineer a trade akin to the one involving Kirby Dach, with the aim of acquiring an established defenseman. Coupled with the Winnipeg Jets’ first-round pick, such a move could potentially net the Habs a promising young top-6 forward.

In essence, Hughes seems inclined to replicate the strategy employed in the Kirby Dach trade, where Alexander Romanov and a fourth-round pick were exchanged for the 13th overall pick, subsequently utilized to acquire Dach alongside a third-round pick.

If we heed the insightful analysis provided by my colleague, Charles-Alexis Brisebois, it suggests that the Canadiens may need to act swiftly to make a selection given the surplus of defensemen on their roster. Among those likely to depart this summer, Jordan Harris and David Savard appear to be the primary candidates.

Should Savard be traded during this summer window, it would create an opportunity for Justin Barron and Logan Mailloux to step up, potentially filling the void on the right side of the defensive lineup. This scenario mirrors the situation faced by Kaiden Guhle when Romanov was traded to the New York Islanders during the 2022 draft.

The Canadiens’ future strength will be on the blue line, but managing that strength will have to start soon, perhaps as early as this summer. Spoke to some of the young d-men currently on the team about the talent on the way and the competition it creates: https://t.co/uSWVADsQrb

— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) March 24, 2024

These sentiments are echoed in Arpon Basu’s article today on The Athletic, where he emphasizes the Canadiens’ future strength lying in their defensive lineup. However, managing this strength effectively will likely necessitate prompt action, possibly as early as this summer. Basu spoke to some of the young defensemen currently on the team about the talent on the way and the competition it creates.

“If Savard is traded this summer, the same feeling Guhle had in 2022 could easily be felt by Barron, Mailloux, and Reinbacher.” – Arpon Basu

For this scenario to unfold, Justin Barron would need to demonstrate improved performance in Laval between now and the end of the season. Since his return to the AHL, he hasn’t exhibited the form expected of an NHL defenseman.

Additionally, Basu notes in the same article that Guhle wasn’t surprised to see Kirby Dach arrive:

“I had talked to Kirby, about a month or two before [the draft], and he said there’s a chance he could be traded here [to Montreal], that there were rumors about that.” – Kaiden Guhle

Guhle, though absent at the 2022 draft, closely followed the event as he aimed to secure a place in the Tricolore lineup at the subsequent training camp. He inferred that Dach’s arrival was imminent as soon as the trade involving the Canadiens, the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Islanders was announced, linking it to Romanov’s departure. Guhle immediately associated Romanov’s exit with an opening among left-handed defensemen on the team.

While he didn’t necessarily anticipate being the player to fill the void, he was eager to leave his mark and was prepared to seize the opportunity.

“I wanted it to be me. I didn’t think I was going to win that position, but I knew they had some kind of plan for someone to take that spot. It was just me who wanted to take that job and be that guy.” – Kaiden Guhle

And indeed, he solidified his position with an impressive performance at the 2022 training camp, securing a regular defenseman spot on the team.

However, concerns arise regarding his injury history, especially considering his junior-level experiences.