To continue the development of Montreal Canadiens new young core of defensemen, the GM and coaching staff will have to prioritize opportunities for Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris and Justin Barron.
With training camp set to begin in September, the Canadiens roster is still far from being ready for the start of the regular season. Kent Hughes currently has a lot of forwards on the roster and may need to make a decision on goaltending options.
While the answers to the forward group and goalies could involve moving players out of the organization, management will need to find solutions to allocate ice time to young defensemen as a priority.
Regular Defensemen
Three players are assured a regular spot on the blue line: Mike Matheson, David Savard, and Kaiden Guhle.
Matheson will be looking for season with less injuries than last year. The 29-year-old defenseman, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Jeff Petry trade, faced injury challenges last year, appearing in only 48 games. An abdominal injury kept him sidelined for a month at the beginning of the season, and in December, he experienced a lower-body injury that caused him to miss several games.
When healthy, Matheson led the team with 24:27 average ice time. He was used on the power play and the penalty kill units. His role is expected to be similar this year.
Savard averaged 22:23 of ice time in 62 games last season. He was used in a shutdown role and was a pillar on the penalty kill unit. The 32-year-old was a role model for his younger teammates.
Guhle played 44 games in his rookie season and was impressive. The 21-year-old had a prominent role on the team averaging 20:31 of ice time. Guhle looked like he belongs in the National Hockey League (NHL) despite debuting as a professional player.
Needing Experience
The Canadiens have a trio of young defensemen that need ice time to continue their development.
Jordan Harris, who is entering his third NHL season, played 65 games in the 2022-'23 season, averaging 18:39 of ice time. His role varied throughout the season, depending on injuries to other defensive players.
Arber Xhekaj's rookie season was cut short after injuring his shoulder during a fight on February 12th in a match against the Edmonton Oilers. In his 51 games in uniform, Xhekaj became indispensable to the team and a fan favorite with his physicality and by protecting his teammates. He finished the season leading the club with 101 penalty minutes despite missing 31 games.
Justin Barron began the 2022-'23 season in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 25 games with the Laval Rocket, he totaled 16 points and led all AHL defensemen with five power play goals when he was recalled by the Canadiens. With the Canadiens, he dressed in 39 matches, collecting 16 points while playing 16:18 on average.
Blue Line Depth
Rounding out Montreal's defense are Johnathan Kovacevic and Chris Wideman.
Kovacevic had played four career NHL games when he was claimed by Montreal in October 2022. The result of his first complete season in the NHL was conclusive. The Hamilton native was a steady presence at the blue line. He led the defensemen with 77 games played last season, with Nick Suzuki being the only Hab that dressed for more games.
Wideman dressed in 46 contests last season. He was last on the team's depth chart at the blue. There was instances where he went over a week as a healthy scratch. The veteran understood his role on the team and remained a good teammate.
Finding Ice Time
Joel Edmundson, a valuable leader on the Canadiens roster, was traded to the Washington Capitals on July 1st. The move allowed the team to get a return on a contract that will expire at the end of the 2023-'24 season and creates an opportunity for a younger defenseman to secure a roster spot.
Keeping the eight players listed above on the roster is not an ideal situation. It would lead to a situation where Harris, Xhekaj or Barron would need to occasionally watch games from the press box instead of playing on the ice.
As the Canadiens rebuild, it is crucial for all young players to gain playing time. If there is insufficient ice time available in Montreal, they should be sent to Laval to continue their development.
There's still time ahead of October 11th's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs for a transaction or a potential injury that can answer some of these questions.