Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom and William Trudeau are three defenders who will start the season in Laval and who will want to earn a recall from the Montreal Canadiens.
David Reinbacher, due to his injury, is not on the list.
When we look at it, among the young people who realistically have a chance of moving up, it’s pretty much the end of the list as of October 9. Mailloux, barring a catastrophe, will be entitled to matches this season.
These are young people who will heat up the Jayden Struble, Justin Barron, Arber Xhekaj and Lane Hutson of this world.
On the other side of the spectrum, Mike Matheson, David Savard and Kaiden Guhle are three players whose place in the lineup is currently assured. If they are healthy, they play.
Due to his age and his contract ending in 2031, Guhle has the most fixed future of the three men. But the two Quebecers in the group, by force of circumstances, must ask themselves questions about their future.
Matheson and Savard are possibly living on borrowed time in Montreal. But how long will the two men, who are leaders on the blue line, stay?
Because the CH wants to be #DanceLeMix This season, it is possible to believe that Matheson will not be traded if all goes well. But Savard? Will CH risk losing him for nothing this summer?
These are questions Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton need to ask themselves. However, they must also ask themselves the following question: if things go badly, what to do next?
Because Savard will be free in the summer of 2025 and Matheson will be free in the summer of 2026, we can think that Savard should leave if things go badly – and things are going to go badly this season, in my eyes.
And because Matheson has more the profile of a guy who could stay a few more years, it seems obvious.
On the other hand, because the CH has several left-handers for the future and because Matheson can become a player very, very in demand if he plays well once again this season, we have to wonder if it is not him who could leave.
What I note on this subject is that Richard Labbé, in a “round table” type discussion with his colleagues at La Presse, not only mentioned expecting Matheson to be traded, but he also thinks that he will break the bank on his next contract.
Il [Mike Matheson] will have 64 million good reasons to demand a new contract. (Well, OK, maybe not 64, but you’ll be surprised the same.) – Richard Labbé
If Matheson were to be traded, I don’t believe the Canadian could also trade Savard. Even if the objective will perhaps become to draft well at the end of the season, there are limits to throwing young people into the den of the wolf.
Imagine that the veterans leave and Guhle gets injured – which is not impossible, when you look at the Albertan’s last seasons. Who would form the CH top-4? Just thinking about it would give me pimples.
But if the CH trades Matheson, is he ready to live with the fact that Savard could be on his way out as a free agent, leaving the CH without either defender on hand next off-season?
The next off-season is one that Kent Hughes has already established as a highlight of the rebuild. Going to the next level without any of these veterans, is that possible?
It is early to think about all that because the season must be played and the management of the Flanelle must have big offers to think about possibly exchanging one of its Quebec veterans. But still: reflection is important.
And until proven otherwise, Savard is at the end of his contract.
In burst
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