Constructing the D corps

[tomh009]

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. 🙂

 

[Neech]

Maybe we should break the mould and play 3 defensemen and 2 forwards.

[TurdBurglar]

Until Hutson is NHL ready, I don't see the left side changing much with Matheson, Guhle and Xhekaj as primary LD.  As for RD, it'll come down to who grabs which spot.  I don't see Savard, Barron or Harris here much longer.  Savard is slowing down as you pointed out and Barron/Harris just seems to be a 3rd pairing guy.  Would much rather give ice-time to the queue of higher skill-ceiling behind them than play them for the sake of keeping them, only if those players are ready.

 

Ideally, I would love to see Reinbacher and Guhle paired together, as I see them spending many seasons paired together.  I would love to see the addition of a younger Savard-like RD acquired to slot in beside Hutson in the long run, or that's possibly what the Xhekaj RD conditioning could be about as well.  I want to stay cautious about saying Xhekaj being a staple top-4D, realistically he will probably top out a bottom pair Gudas-type guy, but still holding out hopes

 

I really do see in the next 2-3 years a tough decision being made between which 2 of Matheson, Guhle and Hutson to keep.  From a management standpoint, it's a great problem to have.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Good thoughts Tom

 

I suspect that Matheson is here to stay. The only scenario where I see him moved is for a first line forward. 
 

I would bet that Savard is traded at the deadline and Reinbacker takes his roster spot. 
 

I think the plan is to keep Guhle on the right side unless maybe we draft another RD this draft. 
 

I expect Matheson to be deadline traded 2025/2026 season with the hope that Hutson takes his spot 
 

 

3 minutes ago, TurdBurglar said:

Until Hutson is NHL ready, I don't see the left side changing much with Matheson, Guhle and Xhekaj as primary LD.  As for RD, it'll come down to who grabs which spot.  I don't see Savard, Barron or Harris here much longer.  Savard is slowing down as you pointed out and Barron/Harris just seems to be a 3rd pairing guy.  Would much rather give ice-time to the queue of higher skill-ceiling behind them than play them for the sake of keeping them, only if those players are ready.

 

Ideally, I would love to see Reinbacher and Guhle paired together, as I see them spending many seasons paired together.  I would love to see the addition of a younger Savard-like RD acquired to slot in beside Hutson in the long run, or that's possibly what the Xhekaj RD conditioning could be about as well.  I want to stay cautious about saying Xhekaj being a staple top-4D, realistically he will probably top out a bottom pair Gudas-type guy.

 

I really do see in the next 2-3 years a tough decision being made between which 2 of Matheson, Guhle and Hutson to keep.  From a management standpoint, it's a great problem to have.

I think one of Harris, Barron, Struble, Kovasevic are not on the team next season. 
 

I think that Guhle and Reinbacker are similar in style - can play all areas of the ice but are primarily defensive minded. They both can score but it’s not their bread and butter. 
 

I think Reinbacker is suited to Hutson long term. Hopefully they both hit their potential. 

[DON]

14 minutes ago, TurdBurglar said:

Ideally, I would love to see Reinbacher and Guhle paired together, as I see them spending many seasons paired together. 

Why not a Hutson & Reinbacher pairing, which might start this fall in Laval? 

Guhle-Mailloux also maybe good option.

But seems a young-d might be traded on draft day, like Romanov. Which one will it be?

 

[Plutarch]

I feel like Mailloux is the most likely to challenge for the rhd job and Barron will be traded. Mailloux was an ahl allstar and all.

 

Mailloux going up would leave the offensive spots open for Hutson in laval.

[Commandant]

I think Mailloux needs a bit more work on his defensive game.  He's only spent one year in Laval and this is a guy who basically missed two full years of Junior Hockey due to Covid, his arrest and suspension, and then his shoulder injury.  He hasn't made that up yet. 

[Neech]

12 minutes ago, Commandant said:

I think Mailloux needs a bit more work on his defensive game.  He's only spent one year in Laval and this is a guy who basically missed two full years of Junior Hockey due to Covid, his arrest and suspension, and then his shoulder injury.  He hasn't made that up yet. 

 

I agree with taking our time with Mailloux, let's see him lead a winning team in the AHL and fill in the holes in his game.

[tomh009]

11 minutes ago, Commandant said:

I think Mailloux needs a bit more work on his defensive game.  He's only spent one year in Laval and this is a guy who basically missed two full years of Junior Hockey due to Covid, his arrest and suspension, and then his shoulder injury.  He hasn't made that up yet. 

And Reinbacher is only 19.

 

So, the right side likely needs to be some combination of Barron, Guhle, Harris and Kovacevic. My theory is that they have played Guhle on the right in order to give him the flexibility to play either side. If that's the case, it should be Matheson and Guhle as the two top D on the left, along with Xhekaj and Struble.

 

Keep Savard until deadline? That's possible, but since Barron, too, will be waiver-eligible, we'll end up with the equivalent of the three-goalie-rotation but on D this time.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

I can't see anyone making the team next season without first a trade or transaction of some sort.

Hughes won't risk anyone on waivers.

 

Are all of Struble Harris Barron Xhekaj able to be sent down next season? Cause that changes alot

[Prime Minister Koivu]

[Commandant]

15 guys there... but...kostenko, sobolev, and norlinder are write offs so thats 12.

 

Bogdan isnt coming to North America any time soon, and Mittelstadt needs time in college plus hes a long shot.  So pretty quickly we are down to 10.

 

Then you have a group that needs AHL time in Hutson, Mailloux, Engstrom, Trudeau.... and now younare down to 6 for next year.

 

Keep Matheson and trade Savard... boom you have 7 on the NHL team.  Add Kovacevic and thats 8 for next year.

[tomh009]

Who will still be waivers-exempt? Struble and Xhekaj?

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, IN THE HEARTS OF MEN said:

Are all of Struble Harris Barron Xhekaj able to be sent down next season? Cause that changes alot

 

Harris has been waiver-eligible most of this season.  Barron is exempt now, eligible next year.  Struble and Xhekaj (and Guhle, for that matter) are exempt into next season but will likely become waiver-eligible at some point during 2024-25 based on games played.

[Dalhabs]

I hope Engström wins the swedish Championship. They are such a story. Just barely making the playoffs then sweeping two of the favourites to go to the finals.

[DON]

2 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

I hope Engström wins the swedish Championship. They are such a story. Just barely making the playoffs then sweeping two of the favourites to go to the finals.

Rogle (9) vs likely Skelleftea (3) in finals; who are up 3-1 in their semi-final series with Frolunda.

 

 

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

4 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

I hope Engström wins the swedish Championship. They are such a story. Just barely making the playoffs then sweeping two of the favourites to go to the finals.

Like last year’s Panthers 

[tomh009]

2 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Like last year’s Panthers 

Or the 2021 Habs!

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

Or the 2021 Habs!

 

Everyone knows that "doesn't count." For some reason 🙄

[alfredoh2009]

Unless Martin St-Louis changes how he constructs his defensive pairs and how he plays, I do not see things the same way I wold for other teams or Habs vintage.

I think Matheson stays with Montreal for the next two seasons.

I also think that Guhle will return to the left-side and anchor the 2nd pair.

Savard will be here until the trade deadline, with one of Mailloux/Barron/Reinbacher taking those minutes late in the season

 

This gives:

Matheson-Savard

Guhle-Barron/Mailloux/Reinbacher

 

I have not placed yet any of the other Ds, which will be fighting for a 3rd-pairing job:

Xhekaj-Struble-Harris-Kovacevic

 

The Habs could keep the four of them in a rotation. At least until the trade deadline. Patience is on the Habs side to sort this out.

 

If the Habs feel compelled to have an NHL-level top-4 RD, they could swing a trade for that player, especially if they plan on trading Savard at the deadline. It will be too expensive later in the season to fill two RD holes if Barron/Mailloux/Reinbacher are not NHL-ready by that time.

 

I would rather be patient with Barron/Mailloux/Reinbacher, I would even give Barron the 4D spot on the 2nd pair from the beginning of the season and suffer through his growing pains in the NHL. He would be buying the Habs time until their defensive prospects solidify their game, to then make a decision at the end of next season.