Canadiens: Guhle’s Level Of Play

Kaiden Guhle is part of the Montreal Canadiens’ young core, but over the years, he's had so many injuries that he's been hard to rely on. This year, he wasn’t there at the start of camp after undergoing surgery over the course of the summer, but since coming back, he’s been playing his best hockey with the Habs, a statement Martin St-Louis agreed with:

I think the sample we have so far, that’s the best we’ve had from Guhle. I think that’s normal; he’s healthy, he’s got experience, and he has evolved as a player. He’s progressing well.

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This is good news for the Canadiens; it seems like the Habs can actually rely on the rugged defenseman’s presence this season, and it’s certainly making an impact in the lineup. A healthy Guhle is a menace on the ice for the opposing forward. As Cole Caufield once famously said, “He buries people,” something the Albertan hasn’t been shy about this season, and it can make a forward think twice before attacking on his side. He’s tied for the team lead in hits with Josh Anderson at 36, but Guhle has only played 14 games compared to Anderson’s 17.

Of course, as St-Louis said, it’s a small sample, and there’s no way to know if Guhle will remain healthy, but right now, the blueliner’s stock is as high as it’s ever been. If the Canadiens go after a big name on the trade market, Guhle could be an attractive asset to include in the package. Not advocating that he should be traded, but you need to give something to get something, and his performance this season must have gotten him on plenty of teams’ radar.

The move would no doubt hurt the blueline corps; no other defenseman brings the same package to the Canadiens lineup, but the Habs do have a lot of depth on the back end.

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