This article idea simply came from reading a quote on X (Formerly Twitter), referring to the Montreal Canadiens defence, more specifically the veteran's.
We have all complained and been upset with the veteran defenseman - David Savard and Mike Matheson, to be frank. But they have been huge for the development of the Canadiens' young blueliners - Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle, to be exact. I'm sure that list will grow before the Canadiens are in their prime, but one constant will remain.
The veteran defenders are teaching the Canadiens young blueliners how to be professional's and many other things, that only experienced players can share. The beautiful thing about hockey is how a core is built and plays together, but there can be an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old on the same roster. The veteran's might not all stick around, but they have equipped the young guys with plenty of knowledge.
"A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit"
— Costa Rontzocos (@Rontzeeez) December 29, 2024
Carrier might not be there when the Canadiens are in their prime but Hutson and Guhle would have grown and gained invaluable experience because of him, Matheson and Savard#GoHabsGo https://t.co/rAyiPb0Xa3
I am excited about the defenders on the team, but I am especially excited to see what Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher will do for the team. The injury that sidelined Reinbacher is an awful thing, but I think he will bounce back even better when he returns. I would say don't write off Reinbacher, and Mailloux needs patience, but I think he has potential.
Any way that you slice it, the young guys are going to absorb from the grizzled veterans and the coaching is the safest bet to derive the best from each player. Reinbacher is never going to be Matvei Michkov, and Mailloux was a shocking decision by former Habs general manager Marc Bergevin. Nothing is set with either of these guys, but Kent Hughes is counting on the pair to be big pieces to the Canadiens' puzzle.
Surrounding the young guys with guys who have been around, and know what it takes to win - Savard specifically, a Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020-2021. The Canadiens hated playing against Savard in the Cup final, so the addition was a no-brainer. The wealth of knowledge that he brings to the group is invaluable, and the team is going to benefit from that in the long and short term.
Barron-Carrier swap - an easy decision
I think Hughes fleeced Barry Trotz, who is counting on being just ahead of the growth curve with Justin Barron. Whether that will arrive or not is undetermined, but Carrier has been the perfect with on the Canadiens blueline. He and Guhle have formed a strong pairing, that skates well, defends well and transitions the puck well up the ice.
There is a level of confidence in being able to put out the pair of Guhle and Carrier, but knowing that Matheson and Hutson keeps things well-balanced; it gives the coach options. With Barron, there was never any consistency and that is the total opposite with Carrier. The top four is a legitimate top four now, and the Habs play has been strong with it intact.
This could go down as one of the most underrated moves by Hughes, it has made an instant impact and turned the Habs defence into a strong position.