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The Blue Line Battle Within The Montreal Canadiens

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The Blue Line Battle Within The Montreal Canadiens

Originally posted on The Sick Podcast | By JD Lagrange | Last updated Jul 29, 2026 11:31 AM ET

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The Montreal Canadiens have spent years searching for quality on the blue line. Today, they have something that every successful organization eventually hopes to have instead: problems. Good problems.

Not long ago, Canadiens fans could’ve named the team’s entire defensive corps before finishing their morning coffee. Today, there are legitimate NHL-calibre defensemen who could play well in training camp and still find themselves packing for Laval. That’s not a problem. That’s progress.

The seven names most fans would pencil into their opening night lineup are Alexandre Carrier, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj. On paper, that looks fairly straightforward. Seven Defensemen, seven jobs. But hockey is rarely that simple. Martin St-Louis and Kent Hughes aren’t handing out jerseys based on last year’s roster, nor should they.

Training camp isn’t a family reunion where everyone gets their usual seat at the table. It’s more like musical chairs, except somebody is leaving disappointed when the music stops. David Reinbacher, Adam Engström and newcomer Maksymilian Szuber will all have something to say about that.

Last week, we made the case for David Reinbacher to push for an NHL job, perhaps even forcing management’s hand. The talented Austrian brings everything coaches love in a young defender. He’s big, mobile, intelligent, moves the puck efficiently and plays a mature two-way game beyond his years. Perhaps most importantly for Montreal, he’s right-handed.

That last point shouldn’t be overlooked. Of the ten defensemen in this conversation, only Carrier, Dobson and Reinbacher shoot right. Quality right-shot defensemen don’t grow on trees. If they did, NHL general managers wouldn’t be paying premium prices every July 1.

Engström presents an intriguing option as well. The smooth-skating Swede possesses a projectable NHL frame and the kind of calm puck-moving ability that often goes unnoticed until it’s gone. He can play either side of the ice, keeps mistakes to a minimum and quietly produces offensively. There isn’t much flash to his game, but every successful defense needs players who make difficult things look routine.

Then there’s Szuber, acquired this summer from Utah in exchange for Joshua Roy. While he isn’t expected to challenge Lane Hutson for the team scoring lead anytime soon, he brings something every NHL team covets: size, intelligence and reliability. He moves the puck well, makes smart passes and uses his frame effectively in his own zone.

The interesting wrinkle in all of this isn’t simply talent. It’s roster management. Only Reinbacher and Engström are waiver exempt. If Montreal decides they would benefit from playing 22 or 23 minutes a night in Laval rather than eating hot dogs in the press box at the Bell Centre, they can make that decision without consequence.

The same cannot be said for everyone else. Carrier, Dobson, Guhle, Hutson, Matheson, Struble, Xhekaj and Szuber would all require waivers before being assigned to Laval. That means opening the door for another NHL club to claim them for nothing. General managers don’t enjoy giving away assets any more than grandparents enjoy watching grandchildren use permanent markers as wall decorations.

That reality could become a significant factor when final decisions are made. Let’s suppose Reinbacher outplays a veteran in training camp. Does management keep him if it means losing another player on waivers? Conversely, do they send him to Laval simply because they can?

Development isn’t always about rewarding the best training camp. Sometimes it’s about doing what’s best for both the player and the organization over the next decade, not merely October.

There is also the matter of ice time. Young Defensemen develop by playing, not by purchasing the most comfortable seat in the Bell Centre press box. Twenty-five minutes in Laval is often better than nine sheltered minutes in Montreal.

We also shouldn’t forget the cavalry that’s coming. Bogdan Konyushkov signed his entry-level contract this summer but will remain in the KHL for another season, while offensive juggernaut Bryce Pickford is expected to begin his professional career in Laval as he continues to round out his game.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Montreal’s biggest problem on defense isn’t a lack of talent. It’s deciding which talented player doesn’t make the team. Those are the kinds of difficult conversations championship organizations eventually have.

There was a time when Canadiens fans prayed for one legitimate top pairing Defenseman. Today, they’re debating who deserves to be seventh, eighth or ninth on the depth chart. Funny how quickly fortunes can change in hockey.

Perhaps that’s the biggest takeaway here. Competition doesn’t weaken organizations, it strengthens them. Iron sharpens iron, and NHL jobs should never come with lifetime guarantees. Come September, somebody is going to force management into making a difficult decision. If we’re being honest, Canadiens fans should be hoping for several somebodies.

Of course, Kent Hughes could very well snap out of his seemingly summer coma and pull out a trade that no one saw coming.

This article first appeared on The Sick Podcast and was syndicated with permission.

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