The Montreal Canadiens once again surprised everyone with a controversial pick at the NHL Draft. This year’s draft was filled with talented offence, especially in the top five where the Canadiens were slated to select. Instead of choosing one of the offensive stars, general manager (GM) Kent Hughes went in the opposite direction and opted for the top defenceman, David Reinbacher. After weeks of Hughes saying they would pick the best or most talented player, they instead decided on a player that some fans doubted was either. The reality is, he could be both and solidify the Habs’ defence for years in the grand scheme.
Canadiens’ Reinbacher Will Strengthen Defence
Many Montreal fans and media were shocked when the Canadiens made their fifth overall pick. Reinbacher was mentioned several times before the draft but was never a primary focus. With offensive talents like Matvei Michkov, Ryan Leonard and Zach Benson still available and this year’s draft full of offensive talent in the first round, many thought one of these players would surely go to the Canadiens. That was not the case as Montreal management went in a different direction, one that could have lasting positive effects on the Habs’ future.
Reinchbacher may not have been the sexy pick, but he could be the pick for the team’s long-term goals. Hughes and company are in the rebuilding phase, something the Canadiens have not correctly done in decades. Montreal has acquired two young forwards with very high offensive upside over the past two seasons in Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook. Add them to a young core of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and 2022 Draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky, and you have the makings of a pretty good top-six. With the top six almost set, at least in Hughes’ mind, the right choice was to look at strengthening the defence, making Reinbacher the logical choice.
Canadiens’ Defence Full of Young Potential Stars
The Canadiens have a small wealth of young defencemen. Going into this year’s draft, they had rookies Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, Jorden Harris, Justin Barron and Johnathan Kovacevic playing meaningful minutes and games for the Canadiens. Guhle was third on the team in average minutes played; Xhekaj proved he was more than a fighter with his five goals and showing his puck-moving abilities. Harris and Barron were getting better as the season progressed and showing their offensive prowess, and finally, Kovacevic was one of the most consistent defencemen on the roster. These young players proved they belonged in the NHL, were ahead in their learning curves, and were ready for everyday NHL action. This already gives Montreal management a good idea of how their defence will look in the next couple of seasons as the rebuild progresses.
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The Canadiens also have several defencemen waiting in the wings to join the club. Young potential stars like Logan Mailloux, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble and Reinbacher are only a year or two away from making their debuts in Montreal. Mailloux and Struble will probably start the season with the Habs’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. At the same time, Hutson will play another season with Boston University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Reinbacher, however, could start his season in Laval as well; he signed his entry-level contract (ELC) but also has the option to play in the Swiss professional league with EHC Kloten, where he played last season as a 17-year-old. If all of these young players reach their potential, the Canadiens could soon have one of the best defence groups in the NHL.
Canadiens’ Defence Built to Be Perfectly Paired
The Canadiens now have a good mix of young talent, some solid and significant, others fast and skilled. They all have one major thing in common: they complement each other. Mailloux and Hutson are offensive dynamos but are weaker on the defensive end. Reinbacher and Guhle have offensive skills but are very solid in the defensive zone; pair these two with the other two, and you have almost a perfect combination of a defensive pairing. With Mailloux and Guhle as your top pairing, you have big-sized defencemen who can skate and move the puck. Mailloux will provide the offence, with Guhle providing the defensive insurance to let Mailloux do his thing. The same scenario stands for Reinbacher and Hutson: Hutson will give the Canadiens next-level offence from the back end while Reinbacher will be the insurance in the defensive zone. This type of pairing allows the offensive player to be more confident in his abilities and more free to make plays in the offensive zone.
An excellent comparison to this type of defensive setup would be the pairing of Andrei Markov and PK Subban. Markov allowed Subban to be free to help with the offence while ensuring that the defence side was covered. The Canadiens have two pairings that could be like this, making the future even brighter because it provides two offensive threats from the backend on two separate pairings. The biggest bonus is that Guhle and Reinbacher also have offensive upside and are not just defensive defencemen; they also can help the offence, move the puck and create scoring chances. Not to be forgotten would be the third pairing of Xhekaj and Harris, who once again provide a player with offensive abilities with a strong defensive partner, not to the level of the first two pairings but something that can cause havoc when they are on the ice.
The Canadiens are in good shape for their defensive future. They say when building a team, you build from the goaltender out. Hughes skipped the goaltender, but with the drafting of Reinbacher and Hutson, they have solidified the defence and maybe helped create one of the best defensive groups this team has seen since the 1970s.
We all know what the Canadiens achieved in the 70s.