The Montreal Canadiens got a major boost to their back end this past Saturday with the return of top-four defenseman Kaiden Guhle. The 24-year-old was among the team's most impactful defensemen last season, and his return has helped steady a unit that had allowed 19 goals through the first four games without him.
Since he came back, Montreal has allowed just three goals in two wins over the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres. On Wednesday, the Canadiens played a tough second leg of a back-to-back against an offensive Washington Capitals team that roughed them up for five goals.
Despite the loss, it is safe to say Guhle's return has energized the group and helped Montreal move closer to last season's numbers, when it finished in the middle of the pack defensively at 3.06 goals against per game.
Underlying numbers show what Kaiden Guhle brings to Montreal’s defense
Data points from NHL Edge and MoneyPuck shows how much Guhle brings as last season, he finished plus-three in even-strength on-ice goal differential, tying Noah Dobson for third among Montreal defensemen and his overall on-ice goal differential was even, which ranked in Montreal's top 10 skaters.
In his second game back, against Buffalo, Guhle played 30 shifts and logged 25:25 of ice time, his most in a game since Game 2 of last year's opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when he played over 26 minutes. He also skated 5.72 kilometers in that game, the most he has covered in a regular-season game since October 2023, when he set a career high of 6.32 kilometers against the Vegas Golden Knights.
In his third game back, Wednesday against Washington, Guhle and his partner, Alexandre Carrier, were on the ice for two goals against. However, it's worth noting the pairing should bounce back with fatigue in the second leg of a back-to-back and going against a fierce offensive team in the Capitals likely playing a factor. They were also very solid last season, scoring five goals while allowing five against for an even goal differential over 174 minutes across 34 games.
Last season, Guhle was among the team’s best in per-60-minute averages. He led the Canadiens’ defense in takeaways at 1.65 and posted the fourth-fewest giveaways at 2.84, a sign of his careful puck management. He also ranked third among Montreal defensemen in both blocked shots, at 4.97, and hits, at 6.79, despite playing in limited action. With a full workload this year, his totals in those categories should rise significantly.
The early returns are promising with Guhle recording nine hits through three games, tied for second most among Montreal defensemen, along with just two giveaways and three takeaways. Smart puck handling was a quiet strength for him last season, when he finished with 21 takeaways and 36 giveaways, only 22 of which came in the defensive zone, which was among the fewest on the team.
With Guhle back in the lineup, skating hard, managing the puck well and handling heavy minutes, his impact should continue to be felt. That includes Saturday, when the Canadiens return home to face the Sabres, against whom Guhle is plus-three over the last five meetings.
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