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Montreal Canadiens: Predicting Habs 2025-26 Defense Pairings

By Ken MacMillan

Oct 28, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) kneels on the ice beside defenseman Justin Barron (52) during warm-up before the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) kneels on the ice beside defenseman Justin Barron (52) during warm-up before the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 21, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports /

Jordan Harris – Logan Mailloux

Extra: Jayden Struble

There are plenty of options for the Canadiens to fill out their blue line in this setup. An incredibly young top four with unlimited potential is followed up by…. three more young defenders with a lot of upside as well.

The Canadiens have not been shy to gamble on their youth since Martin St. Louis arrived behind the bench and Kent Hughes took over as general manager, and they will need to continue to do that if they want to see this team dig itself out of the muck it has been stuck in for three seasons now.

Jordan Harris is 23 years old but has shown signs of being a versatile, reliable, defensive player. He does not put up a lot of points, but he plays a mistake free brand of hockey that allows him to play minutes and keep the opponent from scoring. He would be best fit in a role where he is either on a shutdown pair or with an offensive minded partner.

Well, Logan Mailloux certainly fits the description of an offensive minded defenseman. He started his first pro season slowly, with just two points in his first eight games, but he now has eight points in his past ten games with the Laval Rocket.

After not playing a lot of hockey for two years due to Covid, injuries and suspensions, Mailloux scored 25 goals and 53 points in 59 regular season games in the OHL last season and was even better in the playoffs where he scored eight goals and 24 points in 21 contests.

He has an incredible shot and great offensive abilities. He will work this season and next in the AHL to develop his instincts so he knows when to attack and when to sit back as well as bringing along his defensive game. By 2025-26, he should be ready to bring his elite shot and power play acumen to the NHL level.

The team’s seventh defenseman at that point should be Jayden Struble who is another promising young defender. It is not ideal to have a young player playing a support role, but injuries are inevitable and Struble can cycle in to give Harris and Mailloux the odd rest to keep fresh and step into lineups when more muscle and physicality is needed.

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