Canadiens 2026-27 Player Previews: Defensemen

Entering 2026-27, a point-per-game season isn’t an unreasonable target. Hutson should once again quarterback the first power-play unit and play huge minutes alongside some of the most talented players Montreal has had in years. If his defensive game continues to progress as well, he could legitimately put himself in the Norris Trophy conversation.

Noah Dobson

The Canadiens didn’t pay a significant price to acquire Dobson for him to simply be another member of the defense corps. He is supposed to be a cornerstone. His first playoff run with Montreal wasn’t particularly memorable. Dobson recorded only one point and finished minus-7 in 13 games, although a hand injury certainly didn’t help his cause.

The 2026-27 season offers him an opportunity to show Canadiens fans the complete version of his game. Dobson is a smooth-skating, puck-moving right-handed defenseman who can contribute offensively and eat up significant minutes. A healthy season should allow him to establish himself as one of Montreal’s top defenders and give the Canadiens something they lacked for years, a high-end right-handed option.

Kaiden Guhle

Guhle might not receive the same attention as Hutson or Dobson, but his importance shouldn’t be overlooked. He brings a different dimension to Montreal’s blue line. Guhle can skate, defend against top competition and play the physical style necessary when games become tighter. He doesn’t need to produce huge offensive totals to have a successful season.

For Guhle, the biggest objective remains staying healthy. Injuries have interrupted his development at different points of his career, and a full season would give him an opportunity to establish himself as a reliable top-four defenseman. At 24 years old, there could still be another level to his game.

Mike Matheson

Matheson enters the season as one of the veterans of a blue line increasingly controlled by younger players. His role has naturally changed as Hutson has emerged and Dobson has joined the organization, but that doesn’t make Matheson expendable. His skating and ability to move the puck remain valuable, and he gives Montreal another defenseman capable of handling difficult minutes.

The Canadiens no longer need Matheson to carry the blue line offensively. That could actually benefit him. With fewer responsibilities and better talent around him, he can settle into a role that better suits where the organization currently stands.

Alexandre Carrier

Carrier isn’t going to receive much attention on a defense featuring Hutson, Dobson and Guhle, but every contending team needs dependable players who can quietly handle their assignments.

The Quebec native gives Montreal another experienced right-handed defenseman and can play in a variety of situations. He isn’t expected to produce big offensive numbers, but his defensive reliability and ability to move the puck efficiently make him a useful piece. His job in 2026-27 will simply be to provide stability on the second or third pairing while helping Montreal’s younger defensemen continue developing.

Arber Xhekaj & Jayden Struble

Perhaps the most interesting battle on the Canadiens’ blue line involves Xhekaj and Struble. Both have spent the past few seasons competing for opportunities near the bottom of the lineup, but the pressure is increasing. Reinbacher and Engström are getting closer, meaning Montreal won’t be able to keep roster spots open forever.

Xhekaj offers something nobody else on the defense does. His physicality, toughness and willingness to protect teammates give the Canadiens a different identity when he’s in the lineup. Struble, meanwhile, provides mobility, physical play and a more traditional defensive presence.

Neither should consider his position guaranteed. A strong training camp could be the difference between playing regularly, becoming the seventh defenseman or eventually finding himself on the outside looking in.

David Reinbacher & Adam Engström

Even if Reinbacher and Engström don’t begin the season in Montreal, both should be watched closely. Reinbacher remains one of the organization’s most important defensive prospects. His development has taken longer than originally hoped, but his size, skating and two-way potential still make him an intriguing option on the right side.

Engström is another player who could force management into a difficult decision. His skating and puck-moving ability fit the identity Montreal has built on defense, and another strong showing with the Laval Rocket could earn him NHL games.

The Canadiens don’t necessarily need either player to force his way onto the opening-night roster. However, they do need them to apply pressure from below.

That competition is ultimately what makes Montreal’s defense so intriguing entering 2026-27. For the first time in years, the question isn’t whether the Canadiens have enough NHL-calibre defensemen. It’s how they’re going to find room for all of them.