Montreal Canadiens: What will the defensive pairings look like for 2020-21?

Marc Bergevin went to work adding more defensemen, which makes you wonder what the Montreal Canadiens’ blue line will look like next season?

With the NHL’s return to play came an unexpected playoff opportunity for the Montreal Canadiens. After dismissing the Pittsburgh Penguins in the play-in round, the Canadiens were faced with a well balanced Philadelphia Flyers squad. They were knocked out in six games, but there was a silver lining involved in the loss. The playoffs provided much-needed experience for the Canadiens’ rookies and revealed holes in Montreal’s lineup that needed to be filled.

Especially on the back end.

Brett Kulak played exceptionally well paired next to Jeff Petry, but not well enough to fill the everyday top-four defenseman’s role. Xavier Ouellet and Victor Mete were exposed as the third defensive pairing, often seen in their own zone scrambling for position.

Time for reinforcements.

High-end Russian prospect Alexander Romanov was brought in before the Return to Play but was unable to join the Canadiens in-game. The bruising blueliner received top defensemen honours at the 2019 World Juniors and will have every opportunity to make the Canadiens’ lineup come next season.

The Canadiens acquired 6’4 defensemen Joel Edmundson‘s rights from the Carolina Hurricanes in early September and promptly signed him to a four-year deal. The former Stanley Cup winner will add to the already sizeable back end of the Canadiens.

Edmundson and Romanov are certainly upgrades on the Canadiens’ blue line, but where will they slot into the lineup? With the holes patched, let’s take a look at how the Canadiens will potentially line up on the back end next season.

First Pair: Chiarot – Weber

The Ben Chiarot and Shea Weber pairing was a mainstay during the regular season and during the playoffs. In his first full season with the Montreal Canadiens, Chiarot set career highs offensively and fit in very well next to Weber. I don’t see them being split up anytime soon.

The two logged heavy minutes, matched 5-on-5 versus the league’s best and were relied upon during most primary penalty kill deployments. Weber saw ample time on the power play, while the less offensive, more mobile Chiarot saw more overtime play.

Weber and Chiarot ranked 8th and 15th leaguewide during the 2019-20 season in TOI ( Time On Ice) among defensemen. What makes them the first pairing?

They are mean and hard to play against.

Weber stands at 6’4 230 pounds, while Chiarot comes in at  6’3 225 pounds. Let’s hear from former NHL defensemen and NHL insider Kevin Bieksa on what Chiarot and Weber bring to the Canadiens’ first defense pairing.

Bieksa hit the nail on the head. The top pairing has no problem mixing it up corners, clearing the front of the net for Carey Price, but can also put up numbers offensively. A balanced and reliable pairing to send out against the opposition’s top lines.

Second Pair: Edmundson – Petry

Newcomer Joel Edmundson should slot in nicely next to Jeff Petry. The 6’4 defensemen from Brandon Manitoba add more grit and toughness to the Canadiens’ top-four and should take some penalty killing minutes away from Chiarot and Weber.

Petry has emerged as a quality offensive defenseman for the Habs, eclipsing the forty-point mark in each of the past three seasons. He also led the Montreal Canadiens in ice time during the 2019-20 playoffs, topping 25 minutes a night on average.

For Petry to join the rush and be effective offensively, he requires a stay at home partner to cover for him if things don’t go as planned. Edmundson should provide quality defensive play, adding another physical presence to round out the Canadiens’ top-four.

The Canadiens’ first two pairings would be massive, with four towering defensemen standing between 6’3 and 6’4. The Petry/Edmundson pairing has the dual ability to not only play hard-nosed hockey in the defensive zone, but chip in offensively as well, led by Petry.

Third Pair: Romanov – Kulak

The third pair is where things start to get a little bit trickier to predict and could be a revolving door for the Montreal Canadiens next season. I see Canadiens’ rookie Alexander Romanov cracking the roster out of training camp. The talented Russian is only 5’10 but plays well above his stature. A more offensive version of former Hab Alexei Emelin, Romanov brings strong defensive play while being able to contribute on the scoreboard. The rookie will be a fantastic addition to the Habs.

However, there is a bit of a hiccup as Romanov is a left defenseman along with regulars Victor Mete and Brett Kulak. Based on his outstanding play in the playoffs, I see Kulak switching over to the right side to accommodate the young defensemen. He has played on the right side in the past and should have no trouble adapting. Mete will be on the outside looking in and will need to prove again himself to take that final spot from Kulak.

Noah Juulsen and Cale Fleury will be waiting in the wings, ready to jump in if any of their teammates’ play falters. Juulsen has been dealing with the injuries the last few seasons but made a great impression with the big club, playing 20 games in 2017 and 2018. If Juulsen can stay healthy, he should be able to push for a spot on the bottom pair.

Fleury really impressed me last season with the Montreal Canadiens. The 21-year old finishes his checks hard and always look for a play on the body. Adding another big physical defenseman to the mix would make the Canadiens even harder to play against, so look for Fleury to be a viable option come training camp.