Canadiens Wisely Keep Norlinder over Mailloux for Now

Full disclosure, there are no guarantees Norlinder makes the Canadiens out of training camp. However, many had written the young defenseman off following unfounded rumors he was done with the organization completely late this past summer. So, for Norlinder to turn around, first have an impressive training camp and second become, at the very least, one of the final cuts is an intriguing turn of events.

Norlinder Could Make Canadiens… Really

In other words, it’s no longer completely unrealistic Norlinder makes this team out of camp, at least temporarily. Ten defensemen remain in camp and three, Mike Matheson, Gustav Lindstrom and Chris Wideman, have gotten hurt in the recent past and how healthy they’ve gotten since isn’t exactly clear. So, it remains to be seen how many spots are open on defense come the end of training camp due to injury, with Wideman potentially on the outside looking in, regardless. He’s a depth defenseman on a team rife with organizational depth at his position with an easily buried $762,500 cap hit.

That theoretically makes nine. For their part, Matheson and Lindstrom are conceivable locks to make the Canadiens. Matheson is a newly minted alternate captain coming off a breakout season. Barring an ill-advised trade, he’s staying put. Meanwhile, Lindstrom was the centerpiece of the Jeff Petry trade with the Detroit Red Wings. Even though he was on the relative outs with the Wings, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has stated the team sees the 25-year-old as having achieved only 70% of his potential so far.

So, it would be odd for the Canadiens to turn around and expose Lindstrom to waivers. At worst, you’d think he would end up the team’s seventh defenseman. The Canadiens could potentially keep eight, opening the door for Norlinder. Justin Barron is also holding it open, having far from impressed in camp either, and he is waiver-exempt instead (like Norlinder). So, it could come down to those two.

True, Barron is a right-handed defenseman and Norlinder a left-handed one. However, that’s in large part why it made sense for the Canadiens to keep Norlinder over Mailloux, another young, offensive-minded defenseman who came on in training camp’s late stages. While Mailloux is right-handed like Barron, Norlinder has experience playing either side (from “Cowan: Spotlight shining brightly on Habs prospect Mattias Norlinder,” Montreal Gazette, Sep. 17, 2021).

Norlinder vs. Mailloux

For some context, that Gazette piece is from training camp in 2021, which is important for two reasons. It shows Norlinder, who went on to play six games with the Canadiens that ensuing 2021-22 season, already has several years of professional experience over Mailloux. Secondly, it illustrates how far Norlinder’s stock had fallen since.

Norlinder only played six additional games in North America with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League that season before being returned to his team in Sweden. He played exclusively for the Rocket in North America last season, which says a lot considering how many injuries the Habs suffered overall, as they led the NHL in man-games lost.

Obviously, no one is hoping for a repeat on that front. However, it’s abundantly clear Norlinder has climbed up the team’s depth chart significantly this fall, to the point he should one way or another get in NHL games this season. He’s in a position to potentially make the team outright after having scored two points (one goal) in three preseason games.

Norlinder Still Has Work Cut Out for Him

Admittedly, it’s a small sample size. No one is suggesting Norlinder has arrived. He has a lot more to prove both professionally in general and, if he is fortunate enough to make the team, with the Canadiens specifically before anyone should be comfortable suggesting he’s still in the team’s long-term plans (especially with just one year left on his contract).

On top of all that, even if Norlinder does make the Canadiens, he needs to get into the lineup consistently. Being a seventh (or eighth) defenseman just won’t do for a prospect who at one point had drawn projections of being a player in the mold of Jeff Petry. Nevertheless, it’s an undeniably positive sign he’s lasted this long.

If you look at Norlinder’s experience, versatility and offensive acumen on a team largely devoid of it, it really is no surprise he beat out Mailloux at least in this instance, though. On the other side of the coin, no one should read too much into Norlinder lasting longer than top-prospect David Reinbacher.

Plus, it shouldn’t be a surprise when/if Norlinder ends up one of the last cuts. As has been alluded to earlier, if everyone is healthy in time, he’s still too far down the depth chart to get a lasting shot to start the season. It’s about keeping on an even keel in either direction. No one should be too high on the guy… just significantly higher than they were. He’s hopefully got higher still to go.