Arber Xhekaj #72 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the New York Rangers (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Montreal Canadiens are at a crossroads at this junction of their rebuild. They’d like to keep improving, but they’ve failed to add proven or young, but established players to their lineup in areas of need.
Be it down the middle at forward or on the right side of their defense, the Canadiens have some of the worst depth in the NHL. Thankfully, the Habs do have a legitimate top-six center in Nick Suzuki, while hoping that Kirby Dach can find his mojo again and that 2024 NHL Draft pick, Michael Hage, can eventually become an insurance policy.
But the same cannot be said for the right side of their defense, which is filled with potential, and very little certainty. The only consistent right-shot defenseman on the roster at the moment is 34-year-old David Savard, who will be an unrestricted free agent by year’s end and one of the more coveted rentals on the market come February.
After that, there are youngsters like David Reinbacher, who will lose most of the season to injury, Justin Barron and Logan Mailloux.
That lack of certainty, as the Canadiens look to turn the corner and become part of the playoff mix is why sources told RG in September that Montreal was looking for an upgrade at that position.
“They’re still out there looking for the right fit,” said the same source close to the subject. “But they want to be careful to not make a mistake, since it’s likely going to cost a lot to acquire one.”
Waiting For the Right Moment
The Canadiens have been looking for an upgrade. General manager Kent Hughes continues to scour the NHL for an established player to help shore up the team’s recent defensive ineptitudes.
Most recently, the club was linked to former 6th overall pick, David Jiricek. The 6-foot-4 rearguard had lost his footing within the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, and the Canadiens were one of nearly a dozen teams to have called on him.
Ultimately, the youngster was traded to the Minnesota Wild for a package of draft picks and prospect Daemon Hunt.
Canadiens fans, who saw an opportunity to address a position of need, were confused by the Canadiens’ lack of a better offer; especially considering how much the organization had previously given up for both Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.
Notwithstanding some excessively sad reactions on social media, there were certainly some merits to those questions; but, as an NHL pro scout put it, Jiricek wasn’t the right fit.
With Elliotte Friedman reporting that the general manager Don Waddell preferred to send Jiricek to the Western Conference, the list of suitors got a little shorter and forced the Blue Jackets to make a move.
Naturally, when half the league is looking for a top 4 right-shot defenseman, and a youngster with such potential becomes available, there will be disappointment when the player slips through the cracks.
But an NHL source close to the Canadiens shed a little bit of light on the situation, highlighting that the trade and the fit just weren’t right.
“Yes, there was a sense that Columbus didn’t want to deal with Eastern Conference clubs, so Montreal would have had to overpay. Montreal felt that, if they were going to give up those kinds of assets, it would be for a more proven player,” said the source close to the situation. “Given the way their defense is built right now, they need some experience to go with the talent on the backend.”
On The Lookout
It’s no secret that the Canadiens have a couple of pending free agents they need to make a decision on in the coming months; none more important than Jake Evans and David Savard.
However, unlike Evans, trading away Savard not only comes with the tall task of replacing his experience and defensive ability in the lineup, but restructuring the entire defense core.
“Every night they’re playing two lefties on the right side, along with Savard. What happens when they finally decide to pull the trigger on a deadline trade? They’re going to be exposed,” said the source. “That’s why they’re looking for a bonafide right-shooting, top 4 defenseman within the same age range as the top-end of their core. Someone who could still have another level to reach, like Mike Matheson did in Montreal, but is established and dependable.”
Despite the heat he may receive, Mike Matheson gobbling up all those tough minutes over the last three seasons has helped the likes of Arber Xhekaj and Kaiden Guhle to ease into the NHL a little easier and not expose them to impossible matchups right off the bat.
That’s exactly what they’re looking for on the right side, to take the pressure of the likes of David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux; their two best right-shot, defensive prospects.
“Reinbacher and Mailloux are their best long-term options as top 4 Ds, but Reinbacher is hurt long-term and will need time, while Mailloux is very one-dimensional right now,” said the source.
“Hughes and Gorton absolutely do not want to leave these youngsters to fend for themselves on the backend. And Kaiden Guhle, who has been playing on the right for about a year now, deserves to play on his strong side too. They’re looking for something, but the truth is, it may not come until the summer.”
These deals are hard to come by, but when available, the Canadiens are a sure bet to at least be involved.
As the source confirms, the Canadiens were one of the teams, along with Columbus, Anaheim and Detroit, to be poking around in the Jacob Trouba sweepstakes.
Despite everyone’s opinion of the player, Trouba is a familiar presence for former Rangers GM, Jeff Gorton; and had the blend of physicality and experience that the Canadiens’ blueline lacks.
Alas, Trouba was traded to the Ducks on Friday, after he refused to lift his no-trade clause for other interested clubs. So, the Canadiens continue looking; a search that may take them into the summer.
Summer of 2025?
But, even if the Canadiens were to wait until the summer, where does one even start to look?
The only potential names that would fit the mold of a right-shot defenseman in the age range of 23-30 years old that could be acquired via trade are the Flames’ Rasmus Andersson, the Oilers’ Evan Bouchard and the Islanders’ Noah Dobson; and all are very unlikely to move outside of a massive overpay.
The reality is, unless there are very precise circumstances, like removing a disgruntled prospect from the team or pushing out a higher-paid player for fiscal flexibility, acquiring an age-appropriate a potential or existing top 4 RD mid-season is nearly impossible.
Thankfully for the club, however, their young defense seems to be turning the corner and shoring up their 5v5 play over the last few weeks; a sign that they can pull themselves out of their funk.
“Right now, unfortunately, Canadiens fans will have to endure. But it’s common knowledge around the league that Hughes is looking for a long-term solution at RD that helps them compete for a playoff spot next year,” concluded the well-placed source.
With David Savard likely to be one of the most coveted defenders on the rental market come March, it may get a little worse before it gets better; but the organization clearly seems to be targeting the summer of 2025 to make some bold moves.
Marco D'Amico is a beat reporter covering the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL Draft, while also being a recurring guest on TSN690 and BPM Sports. His work primarily on NHL CBA breakdowns and prospect analysis, all while covering the Montreal Canadiens on a day-to-day basis.
