Hockey

A defenseman to keep in mind for the Canadiens
Michaël Petit
A defenseman to keep in mind for the Canadiens
Credit: Screenshot/Twitter

Since the injury to Kaiden Guhle, the Montreal Canadiens have been struggling defensively.

Since we know that Guhle won't be back until mid-December (if not the end of December), the Habs can't keep getting manhandled like this.

That's why the idea of adding a defenseman isn't all that crazy (not to mention the fact that Arber Xhekaj isn't having the best of times these days).

In a recent TVA Sports piece, the name of Pavel Mintyukov of the Anaheim Ducks was mentioned, and the idea makes a lot of sense.

The 10th overall pick in 2022 has been struggling this season, so much so that he was left out of his club's last three games by his coach.

The 22-year-old left-handed defenseman is an excellent skater and has good offensive assets. His vision is certainly above average.

However, with just three points in 18 games this season, this isn't the best start to the campaign for the young defenseman.

How perfect a fit would he be in Montreal? The question remains, but a change of scenery can only be beneficial for him, and would clearly help him move the puck and make good first passes.

The Ducks are currently in first place in the Pacific Division with a 13-7-1 record, and Mintykov remains a valuable trade chip.

Still in California, this time with the San Jose Sharks, there are certainly several names that could change addresses. The Sharks acquired the contracts of Carey Price and Ryan Ellis for a reason. This gives them the leeway to trade active players for prospects or draft picks.

On the latest episode of the DFO Rundown Insider Edition (Daily Faceoff), David Pagnotta and Irfaan Gaffar discussed the situation in San Jose.

Although the Sharks are still enjoying a good season (10-8-3), thanks mainly to Macklin Celebrini and his 31 points, the plan was to trade veterans to replenish their bank of prospects and draft picks. There's also the possibility of picking up an established young player to speed up the rebuilding process.

Mario Ferraro, Timothy Liljegren, Vincent Desharnais and John Klingberg could all change address, if the DFO Rundown Insider Edition is anything to go by. Their contracts all expire on July 1.

Desharnais could bring a more robust dimension to the right flank. The other defensemen are also good options for the Habs.

Still according to this episode, there are also some forward names on the Sharks' roster that could be of interest to other teams. For the Habs, I can see a guy like Alexander Wennberg helping the club out, as he's finishing the last year of a two-year, $5 million per season contract.

He can contribute a good 30 points a season (he's on track for a 43-point season), he's talented (he'd be a great option on Ivan Demidov's line) and he's a hard worker. What's more, he's a left-handed center, even if his face-off efficiency percentage hovers around 45 and 48%.

There's certainly talk in California about Kent Hughes.


Overtime

– It's hard for the Québécois…

– A well-deserved contract.

– Sad story about Connor Carrick… Missing the birth of his child to be left out that night.

– Too bad for the young Calgary Flames player.

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