Canadiens defense: the year where guys have to stand out

Right now, a lot of people think the Canadiens have a chance of making the playoffs or playing meaningful games come April. One of the reasons is that the defence won’t be the tightest.

Do you think trading Jordan Harris and Johnathan Kovacevic and potentially replacing them with guys like Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux will make the Habs better defensively? Last year, the Habs were very leaky…

Most goals against this season:

326 – San Jose Sharks
298 – Columbus Blue Jackets
293 – Anaheim Ducks
289 – Chicago Blackhawks
281 – New Jersey Devils
281 – Montreal Canadiens
281 – Ottawa Senators

New Jersey with a goalie is going to be insane. pic.twitter.com/5y3fvogTPM

– Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) September 3, 2024

The aspect the Habs are banking on this year is internal progress. If the Habs want to give away fewer goals than last year, it’s going to come down to the goaltenders, obviously, but also to the defensive improvement of guys like Arber Xhekaj, for example.

And if that happens, everyone wins.

Without killing the revival or taking Jacques Lemaire’s trap out of the mothballs, the guys will have to improve defensively to take the Habs to the next level.

And it’s by progressing defensively that the guys will really be able to solidify their place in the sun.

In the eyes of Elliotte Friedman, who addressed the subject of the Habs’ defense in the most recent episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast, this is the year when some guys will have to step up and solidify their place in the lineup.

With the surplus of defensemen, they’ll have to make sure they “steal a chair” on the blue line, to borrow a popular expression from the coach, and force the Habs to trade other guys instead.

32 Thoughts Friday news & information podcast. We go through every team. Lotsa tidbits. Great editing work from @CamJBarra, pinch-hitting for Dom. Back next Friday, then returning to our regular Monday/Friday schedule.

Enjoy! https://t.co/io7Mr1RceU

– Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 6, 2024

If Kent Hughes, Martin St-Louis and Jeff Gorton know what to expect from several of the guys eight months from now, it will help with long-term planning and with a view to the important summer of 2025.

Because at the moment, apart from Kaiden Guhle, we can’t be sure of the role of any of the guys. And while we won’t have all the answers this year (David Reinbacher won’t be a finished product in 2025, for example), the Habs need to know (a little more) where they stand in 82 games.

Overtime

– Will he find work?

George Bazos, agent for UFA D Kevin Shattenkirk, 35, says they are in discussions with a few teams, looking for a good fit. Absolutely still wants to play. Coming off a one-year, $1.05M deal in Boston last season.

– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 6, 2024

– He’s got the big stick in negotiations.

‘He has a lot of leverage here’: Jeremy Swayman, a continuing negotiation, and the approaching start of camp. https://t.co/DDCBHUGYcU

– Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) September 6, 2024