Montreal Canadiens: Shea Weber’s Defence Partner

There isn’t a clear front-runner for who Shea Weber’s defence partner will be on the Montreal Canadiens, but a decision will have to be made soon.

It’s less than two weeks until the Montreal Canadiens season opener against the Buffalo Sabres. Despite the extra players at camp, there is still a strong sense of what the lines and pairings are going to look like.

Charles Hudon is finally going to make the team out of camp whereas Jonathan Drouin is going to step out as the team’s number one center. There’s also the question marks surrounding the bottom pairing, but it looks like Jordie Benn and Mark Streit might fill in there.

The question marks are constantly floating around the left side of Shea Weber. Whoever plays there will be on the top pair playing against the other team’s top players. That’s key. Not just anyone can play there because it looks like the nicest combination.

It’s especially important in the eyes of Claude Julien. Whoever earns that spot will have to prove that they can be just as responsible as Weber is. Anything less won’t work and could cost the team. As it stands, there are two main options and another bonus one.

Victor Mete

More from Editorials

• Montreal Canadiens: Senators Rebuild At Crisis Point As Kent Hughes Moves Forward
• Montreal Canadiens: Jonathan Drouin Continues Charity Work In Montreal After Leaving Habs
• Montreal Canadiens: Laval Rocket Lineup Going To Be Must Watch
• Montreal Canadiens: Jesse Ylönen Contract Extension Analysis
• Montreal Canadiens: Top 31 Prospects – #31 Quentin Miller

No surprise here. Victor Mete ironically looks to be the in the lead for the job. I say ironically because when roster projections were being put together during the off-season, no one had him as an option. However, he’s put in the work and has impressed Julien and the rest of the Habs management that he deserves to be here still.

Mete and Weber have played and practiced together during the preseason. Julien has mentioned numerous times on how much he is benefitting by playing with the veteran. He’s offensively inclined, but still responsible enough to know that the back-end is important as well. Additionally, with Weber, he may be free enough to show off some of his offence more than another rookie defenceman.

The 19-year-old making the team wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. It’s how long he stays with the Montreal Canadiens that does. If they keep him past the nine game threshold, then congratulations, Mete has shown that he has what it takes. The more likely option is that he’s sent back to junior.

Jakub Jerabek

The certainty around Jakub Jerabek getting the spot isn’t nearly as high as Mete. It was definitely the overall belief that the former KHLer might play his way higher into the line-up. Training camp didn’t start as well as Jerabek would have wanted. At times he looked overwhelmed and overly cautious about making moves.

That has all changed as of late, and Habs fans have gotten to see the real Jerabek. He moves the puck well, can make a great pass, and has a very accurate shot. Watching him work on the power play was especially a great sight.

Unlike Mete, the defence didn’t stand out as much. Jerabek also has the con of this being his first professional season on the smaller ice. To go from the KHL to the NHL is one thing, but to go from the KHL to the top pair on an NHL team is another.

There’s even a chance that he wont make the team, and that’s not because of his abilities, but because of the room. He won’t benefit from being scratched all the time or playing on the bottom pair.

David Schlemko

Here me out. Even though David Schlemko has been out with a hand injury, he’s very much still an option to play with Weber. In a way, you may be able to spin it that despite how well he’s played, Mete is just a stop-gap until Schlemko is healthy enough to play.

Related Story: David Schlemko, The Wild Card

The 30-year-old could be the perfect match. He’s big, can move the puck well, and will rarely make a defensive error. Although fans didn’t understand the value in the trade when it happened, that’s what could’ve been on Marc Bergevin‘s mind when they acquired him from the Vegas Golden Knights.

We have to see this from Julien’s point of view. Even though it’s great that a young player and a rookie have stepped up so well, what is the “safer” option. Schlemko has been skating recently, and the plan is to get him into some of the final preseason games.

When that happens, don’t be surprised to see him on that top pairing. It may not stop there, from all the contenders on the team, it looks like it’s Schlemko’s spot to lose.

Next: Trimming Down the Roster

Who do you think will be Weber’s defence partner? Let us know what you think down below.