Have been thinking about what the Habs' D corps could look like for the next two years. Not the cup contender version, but the transitional team that should start competing for a playoff position.
So, this is what I have on a (somewhat?) factual basis:
Matheson has scored 60 points this season, no mean feat on a team that only has 224 goals, and does not look like he's slowing down
Savard does look like he's starting to slow down
Guhle is solid and reliable 1LD/2LD, now with some flexibility to play on the right as well
Harris flexible on left/right, though better on the left
Kovacevic is not stellar but quite reliable on the right
Neither Reinbacher or Mailloux likely ready for NHL for another season or two
Hutson is a wild card. He's only 20 and seasoning in the AHL would make sense but he'll surely be a target there
Then we have Xhekaj/Struble and Barron
I'm thinking that Matheson likely stays with the Habs, unless another GM is willing to pay a king's ransom to get him. For all his defensive warts, he is in the top 10 in D scoring in the league, and that's elite D scoring. Maybe pair him with Kovacevic for stability and balance?
Our help on the right is a few years away, so does Hughes keep Savard? I suspect not, so that would mean that Harris and Barron need to be the other two RD, unless Reinbacher is stunningly good in training camp. I think very unlikely that they would bring him up at 19yo.
So, need a defensive partner for Barron, and a more offensive one for Harris. Is that Guhle-Barron and Xhekaj/Struble-Harris? Or is Hutson really a viable option here? I would think not yet.
Of course, if Hughes trades one of the young(ish) D, all this calculus will need to be redone. 🙂