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Montreal Canadiens Defensive Situation – Depth Chart Analysis

Originally posted on Montreal Hockey Now | By Marc Dumont | Last updated Jul 15, 2024 3:55 PM ET

We’re officially in the dog days of summer, which means it’s time to take a look at the projected depth charts for the Montreal Canadiens heading into the 2024-25 season.

We recently evaluated the forward situation, and while it’s certainly getting better, it’s evident the team could use a little more offensive punch on the wings and down the middle of the ice. The Habs are not willing to sign older free agents to long-term contracts, which makes improving the forward group a little more complicated.

But the same cannot be said about their defensive situation. If anything, the Montreal Canadiens have too many talented defencemen in play. It allowed them to trade underrated blueliner Johnathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils for an unspectacular return, but as we’ll discuss once we get to the defensive depth chart posted below, moving Kovacevic did not solve the defensive logjam.

Montreal Canadiens 2024-25 Projected Depth Chart – Defencemen

Even though the Canadiens have plenty of defencemen with above-average potential, they’ve had very little success from a statistical point of view. Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, and the aforementioned Kovacevic have managed to produce long stretches in which they had better than average underlying numbers, but the Canadiens’ top pairing, which has alternated between Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, David Savard, and other defencemen depending on the circumstance, has been outplayed by a significant margin on most nights.

Of course, it’s easier to play on the second or third pairing than it is to face the opposing team’s best players every game, but until the Habs can claim they have a top pairing that wins more possession battles than they lose, wins will be hard to come by.

The good news is that three of the team’s top defensive prospects are champing at the bit to find a permanent job in the NHL, with Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher, and Logan Mailloux standing out from the next big wave of defensive reinforcements. The smooth-skating Adam Engstrom may not receive as much coverage as the aforementioned players, but you could build a strong argument that he deserves to be kept in mind as we project NHL lineups, seeing as he has plenty of professional hockey experience and recently signed an entry-level contract with the Habs.

Players with legitimate NHL experience are highlighted in red. Top defensive prospects are blue. Players expected to play in other professional leagues (KHL, AHL) are yellow. Players expected to play Jr hockey are grey.

The first thing the Habs can do to ensure Guhle has a chance to produce solid numbers is keeping him on the left side of the ice. He played on his offside too often last year, an unreasonable demand on a young player who has already been thrown to the wolves on several occasions during his first two seasons in the NHL. But given that the Habs have not shied away from using him in difficult situations, there are decent odds Guhle will once again find himself playing on his offside once the season commences.

That is, unless one of either David Reinbacher or Logan Mailloux makes the team out of camp. Removing Kovacevic from the picture could be a sign that Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton, and Martin St-Louis are carving out an opportunity for them, though we also have to keep in mind that players like Harris and Xhekaj could be asked to play on their offside, as to give both Mailloux and Reinbacher a little longer in the AHL to improve their speed of execution and their positioning when defending the rush.

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

You’ll note we only briefly discussed Hutson’s role on the team next year. That’s not because I doubt he has NHL potential, but rather because we’ll have to re-evaluate the situation once training camp begins to decide whether he’s ready to jump directly into the NHL. Despite his excellent two-game audition at the end of the 2023-24 season that saw him earn two points, the Habs may decide that he’s better off starting in the AHL for a few reasons. Not only would it put him in a situation where he can absorb important minutes, it would also give the Canadiens a little more time to figure out their defensive logjam, as Hutson does not require waivers to be assigned to the AHL. It could even lead to a Hutson-Reinbacher pairing, providing fans in the AHL with a glimpse into the future when it comes to two of the most crucial prospects in the organization.

But any way you cut it, it’s quite clear that the Habs haven’t quite figured out the best way forward on the right side of the defence, as we’re discussing using key players on their offside, while also considering how quickly some prospects would be ready for full-time NHL action.

Once again, the Habs are heading into the season with several question marks on defence. But unlike previous seasons, there’s a sense that some of the younger players could finally take the next step forward in their careers if used properly, and consequently push the team’s defensive numbers closer to a level that would be considered respectable.

This article first appeared on Montreal Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.

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