With too many players and not enough spots, the Montreal Canadiens are experiencing a bit of congestion on defence.
To be fair, having too much depth in one of the game’s most crucial positions is not necessarily a bad problem to have. But tough decisions will have to be made nonetheless.
Since it looks like Montreal will be going with 13 forwards and two goalies (possibly three), they will probably have space for seven or eight defencemen at the NHL level. And more cuts are coming with the season kicking off in a little over a week.
That means players will be sent down to Laval or claimed on waivers by defence-hungry teams like the Vancouver Canucks or San Jose Sharks.
With all that said, here’s who’s most likely to start the season with the Canadiens.
Locks to start the season
Mike Matheson
It’s safe to say that last year’s leading scorer among d-men and newly appointed assistant captain Mike Matheson is sticking around.
David Savard
An important veteran presence and good shut-down defenceman, David Savard is expected to once again take on big minutes with the Habs this season.
Kaiden Guhle
After impressing in his rookie campaign last year, Kaiden Guhle is virtually guaranteed a spot in the top four.
Likely to start the season
Areber Xhekaj
A major physical presence and fan favourite, many would be surprised if Arber Xhekaj does not crack the opening night lineup.
Jordan Harris
After proving he can keep up in the NHL, Jordan Harris signed a two-year, $2.8 million contract with Montreal in February.
The 23-year-old also netted four goals and 17 points over 65 games on an injury-riddled Canadiens roster last year. With all that in mind, he probably won’t be asked to step down.
Gustav Lindstrom
Acquired as a sweetener in a deal that sent defenceman Jeff Petry to the Detroit Red Wings back in August, Gustav Lindstrom has been dealing with an upper-body injury over the past few days.
While he should be healthy in time for the season, he will likely be assigned the role of extra defenceman.
May be sent down
Johnathan Kovacevic
Claimed on waivers by the Canadiens last October, Johnathan Kovacevic could end up in the same position again if he doesn’t solidify a roster spot. With that said, the 26-year-old has been one of the better blueliners at camp and has impressed in the preseason so far.
Justin Barron
With a contract that exempts him from waivers, Justin Barron, 21, could be the odd one out by the time the season opener rolls around. That way, Montreal doesn’t lose another player to a waiver claim.
After splitting his time between the Rocket and Habs last season, it’s not far-fetched to see Barron starting the year in the AHL.
Mattias Norlinder
After a few years in Sweden and one full season in the AHL, Mattias Norlinder may finally be ready to make the jump to the NHL after showing plenty of poise and skill in multiple preseason games.
The problem is that the 23-year-old’s progression coincides with there being too many NHL-caliber defencemen around. As a result, he may be cut and have to wait for a spot to open up via injury for him to get some games with the big club in.
Chris Wideman
On the first day of training camp, the team announced that Chris Wideman would be out indefinitely with a back injury.
The veteran D-man played 46 games with the Habs last year. His absence opens the door for a young blueliner to take his spot. As a result, there’s a chance that the 33-year-old doesn’t get it back if/when he does return later in the year.
Logan Mailloux
After a noteworthy performance at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo and some solid play throughout the preseason, Logan Mailloux, Montreal’s first-round pick in the 2021 draft, has maintained his spot at training camp.
His stellar 2022-23 OHL campaign, which saw him score more goals than any other defenceman (25) despite only playing 59 games, indicates that he’s ready to jump to the next level.
Whether that’s in the NHL or AHL remains to be seen.