With just the split-squad games against the Ottawa Senators left, the Montreal Canadiens still have a couple of roster battles to watch. Florian Xhekaj and Owen Beck are still fighting to start the season on the Canadiens roster, but the more interesting conversation is which defenceman is on the outside looking in. It has become increasingly likely that David Reinbacher will start the season with Montreal, with the young defenceman having spent time on a pairing with Lane Hutson. Kaiden Guhle is set to miss the start of the season, opening the door for some of the Canadiens' defencemen to start the season in the NHL. Montreal could opt to carry eight defencemen this season, meaning when Guhle returns, one of Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble, or Arber Xhekaj will have to be sent down to make room. The problem now becomes which one will make way when Guhle returns.
David Reinbacher and Arber Xhekaj are here to stay
A lot can still change. The games against the Senators will give the organization a better understanding of who is leading the race. As it stands, Reinbacher will start the season in the Canadiens' opening-day lineup. Before training camp opened, Laval Rocket coaches Daniel Jacob and Martin Laperriere were adamant that the young defenceman made incredible progress this offseason. Reinbacher himself looked pumped to show Canadiens fans the extra work he put in, and he has been one of the better players so far this preseason. He looks stronger, positions himself well in the defensive zone, and, most importantly, kills plays. He has been getting looks on the penalty kill, an area the Canadiens could use help with, as they ranked 18th in the NHL last season. He has a defined role and looks ready to make the jump.
The elder Xhekaj’s situation is a little different. It was clear last season that Martin St. Louis and his coaching staff did not trust him to play in all situations, which limited his ice time. His ice time per game plummeted. In his first three seasons, Xhekaj averaged 14 to 15 minutes a night, but last season his minutes dropped to around 11 minutes a game. However, St. Louis’ comments earlier this offseason suggest they could use Xhekaj in a more versatile role. He played limited minutes as a forward last season, which makes you think they could try that again this season while keeping his primary role as a defenceman. Xhekaj’s versatility makes it increasingly likely that he will remain with the Canadiens this season.
It is between Jayden Struble and Adam Engstrom
This leaves two options: Struble or Engstrom. Struble will have the leg up on Engstrom as he has considerably more NHL experience. He has largely played in a depth defenceman role, filling in when defencemen go down with an injury or rotating with Xhekaj. He is a decent defender but brings little to the table offensively, recording between 11 and 13 points a season. As a seventh defenceman, he is more than adequate to be kept on the roster, but it is clear Engstrom has the higher upside. The biggest issue is that if the Canadiens choose Engstrom over Struble, he would need to clear waivers to play with the Laval Rocket. That would risk losing Struble for nothing, and it is unclear whether the Canadiens are willing to do that.
Engstrom’s case is very similar to Beck’s. He was one of the last cuts at last year’s training camp and was one of the first players called up when injuries struck the Canadiens roster. He had an excellent season with the Rocket last season, recording 10 goals and 24 assists in 45 games. It is clear the biggest difference between Engstrom and Struble is that the Swedish defenceman possesses a better ability to move the puck up the ice in transition and has an offensive touch to his game. Engstrom has split time between being paired with Noah Dobson and Reinbacher so far this training camp, giving him the best opportunity to showcase that he has made the necessary improvements to be a regular in the Canadiens lineup. Both defencemen will likely start the season with Montreal, with a decision only needing to be made once Guhle returns to the lineup. The competition for the Canadiens' final defenceman spot will carry into the season, and whoever performs better in the first month will be the one who stays with the team. Engstrom has the higher upside, but Struble brings NHL experience and stability, making it an incredibly difficult decision once Guhle returns.
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