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Canadiens Training Camp Battles: Defencemen Fighting For NHL Jobs
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- Canadiens Training Camp Battles: Defencemen Fighting For NHL Jobs
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Montreal Canadiens will open their main training camp on September 16, leaving just two weeks to assess the available positions and the prospects pushing for NHL jobs.
We'll begin by examining the potential battles among the defencemen, including a pair of young players aiming to secure permanent roles with the Habs.
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Roughly 15 defencemen will compete for seven or eight spots. However, most of those positions are already spoken for, leaving room for only one or two potential surprises. It's also worth noting the clear imbalance between left- and right-handed defencemen. Just six of the players in the mix shoot right-handed, and only two of them hold guaranteed spots on the blue line.
Available Left-Handed Defencemen:
Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble, Luke Mittelstadt, Maksymilian Szuber, Adam Engstrom, Owen Protz.
Locks: Hutson, Matheson, Guhle
Available Right-Handed Defencemen:
Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier, David Reinbacher, Ethan Samson, Reilly Walsh, Bryce Pickford
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Locks:Dobson, Carrier
Potential Training Camp Battles
Given their relative lack of experience, it's fair to suggest that Bryce Pickford, Owen Protz, and Luke Mittelstadt are likely to begin the season in the AHL, where they will play important roles for the Laval Rocket.
Pickford, in particular, is a prospect worth watching . Fresh off a historic season in which he scored a jaw-dropping 45 goals in just 55 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), it will be interesting to see how quickly he adapts to professional hockey. He will need significant power-play time if he hopes to translate even a portion of that scoring pace to the AHL, though, realistically, no one expects him to score every other game.
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A few newcomers are also in the mix this season, including Maksymilian Szuber, Ethan Samson, and Reilly Walsh, though each faces an uphill battle to make the team out of camp. Szuber spent last season with the Tucson Roadrunners, recording 11 goals and 16 assists in 67 games. The 24-year-old, who stands 6'3″ and weighs 200 pounds, projects as a defensively responsible blueliner.
Ethan Samson split his season between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Syracuse Crunch, posting five goals and nine assists in 30 games with the latter. He profiles as an offensively inclined defenceman who can deliver quick outlet passes and smart rushes when the opportunity arises.
As for Walsh, he spent last season in the KHL with Nur-Sultan Barys, finishing tied for the team lead in scoring with an impressive 16 goals and 30 assists in 68 games. At 27 years old and as a right-handed shot, he stands out as a solid dark-horse candidate heading into training camp.
Canadiens Prospects On The Cusp
Given that five of the seven (or eight) jobs have already been filled by Hutson, Dobson, Carrier, Matheson, and Guhle, the young players looking to take the next step in their careers will face stiff competition.
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This is especially true when considering that both Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj will be fighting tooth and nail for those remaining spots.
In other words, Xhekaj, Struble, Reinbacher, and Engstrom will be the central figures in any discussion of the potential battles on the blue line.
The more experienced players hold the inside track, particularly since both Xhekaj and Struble have proven they can handle the right side of the ice. I'd argue Xhekaj is a little more comfortable on his off-side and brings greater physicality to the table, though their numbers in that situation remain quite similar.
The reality is that few defencemen excel when playing on their off-side, except perhaps Hutson. But let's be honest: he's a hockey cyborg sent from the future to entertain Canadiens fans and frustrate every scout who still bases their analysis on 1980s footage.
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In that vein, if the Canadiens have to choose between Engstrom and Reinbacher, I'd argue it makes more sense to leave Reinbacher in the AHL, where he can log heavy minutes in a top-pairing role, while promoting Engstrom to the NHL as a reward for his strong play with the Rocket.
Engstrom also outperformed Reinbacher by a fairly wide margin last season, both in production and defensive awareness. He's quite capable of playing the right side and has ample professional experience doing so. That versatility will be his greatest asset heading into training camp.
Reinbacher has improved several weaknesses since arriving in North America, but he has played just 78 games for the Rocket over the past three seasons due to a steady stream of injuries. He still lacks experience, and given that he's not quite ready for a full-time NHL role, the best place for him to continue his development remains Laval.
Besides, if he ends up in a sixth or seventh-defenceman role with the Habs, his growth would only be hindered further. Engstrom, by contrast, is a year older and has already appeared in 15 NHL games, posting very encouraging underlying numbers .
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Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks
Although the Canadiens may open the season with the same defensive roster as last year, we must remember that injuries, and trades, can happen at any time. Xhekaj, for example, has yet to sign a contract extension.
As a result, strong performances at training camp may not lead to an immediate NHL promotion, but they can propel a player well ahead of the competition for the next call-up from the AHL.
While I believe Engstrom is better suited for the NHL right now, the Canadiens are almost certain to give Reinbacher an opportunity at some point during the season. Coaches and general managers will try to convince you that draft position doesn't matter—and in theory it shouldn't—but it absolutely does when it comes to opportunities for young prospects.
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Montreal Canadiens Training Camp Predictions
Locks:Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier, Kaiden Guhle.
Likely:Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble.
Knocking On The Door:Adam Engstrom, David Reinbacher
Dark Horse Candidate:Reilly Walsh.
To The AHL:Luke Mittelstadt, Maksymilian Szuber, Owen Protz, Ethan Samson, Bryce Pickford.
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