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Habs: less love from veterans for rookies

 Matthew Garcia
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Habs: less love from veterans for rookies
Credit: Getty Images

In 12 days’ time, the Canadiens will make their official debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first game of the regular season.

Between now and then, some players will be sent to Laval and others will officially earn their place with the big club. Among them: Lane Hutson, who is having a great camp. It’s not over for him yet, but let’s just say it’s only a matter of time…

For other players, like Logan Mailloux for example, his position in the metropolis is less certain. He still has games and training sessions to prove himself, but time is running out. According to Marc Antoine Godin in the Tellement Hockey podcast, he and Arber Xhekaj are in the running for the seventh defenseman spot.

According to Godin, Xhekaj is not having a great camp. It was tougher against the Maple Leafs and the left-hander can’t take anything for granted. He thinks Jayden Struble had a much better camp.

Even so, the journalist believes that Mailloux will be sent to Laval. And in my opinion, as long as Mailloux has to play one game out of four in Montreal, I’d send him down there with David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom to get him plenty of playing time.

Unlike his co-host, Martin Leclerc enjoyed the older Xhekaj brother’s camp. He also admits that he had a slightly tougher game in Toronto, but the Habs aren’t the same club with him in the fray. He believes he and Struble will be rotated into the third defense pairing at the start of the year.

In Justin Barron’s case, he’s there by default, since he can’t be traded to the Rocket without going through the waivers. He’ll still have to prove he can be consistent over the long term, otherwise his time with the Habs won’t go down in history.

In short, a lot of positions are up for grabs, especially on defense, and apparently, according to what Leclerc has heard through the grapevine, there isn’t much love among veterans for rookies…

That’s not necessarily a bad sign, because after all, the guys are playing for position, too. Michael Pezzetta isn’t guaranteed a spot (Oliver Kapanen, Emil Heineman and Owen Beck are breathing down his neck), Jayden Struble, Justin Barron and Arber Xhekaj must be feeling the pressure, and guys like Christian Dvorak, who will have his place in the starting lineup on October 9, know they could be replaced eventually.

In Dvo’s case, he’s also playing for a contract next year. Not in Montreal, please!

The only youngster getting any love is Lane Hutson. The veterans aren’t crazy, either; they know the little left-hander has an almost assured spot and can really make the team win this season. And it’s not like he’s stealing a position from a seasoned veteran.

He’s simply taking the position that’s been his since he was selected by the team in July 2022…


Overtime

– Surprise.

– Well deserved.

– A good start for them.

– Heavy loss for the Cowboys.

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