The Canadiens' young defensemen are pushing hard enough that Kaiden Guhle could be the one squeezed out, according to Sportsnet's Frank Seravalli.
Seravalli wrote that Montreal has to sort out roles for Adam Engstrom, David Reinbacher and perhaps Luke Mittelstadt. Any of them could be moved, but their play could just as easily push out a veteran.
Mittelstadt has forced the issue in Laval, piling up 15 points in nine AHL games.
Reinbacher was sent down September 27 after a strong preseason. Scouts view Engstrom as one of the best defensemen without a fully defined NHL role.
Engstrom hasn't registered a point through five games, but he's a +2.
Guhle, 24, has three points in six games this season.
His $5,550,000 cap hit runs through 2030-31, and his modified no-trade clause doesn't kick in until 2029-30. That makes him movable right now.
Mike Matheson's no-move clause makes him the harder piece to deal
Matheson, 32, carries a $6,000,000 cap hit through 2030-31 with a full no-move clause. He'd have to approve any deal.
He has two points and a -2 rating through six games. Seravalli still sees him as less likely to go.
The bigger picture matters here. Seravalli wrote that the young players' start has the club weighing how aggressive to be, and top prospect Michael Hage remains off the table.
He also suggested rival teams may have misread last spring's run to the Eastern Conference Final as a sign Montreal is in win-now mode.
The next addition could be a stabilizing veteran, similar to last season's Phillip Danault pickup.
Montreal's blue line is a carpool with too many kids and not enough seats. Somebody's riding with another family soon.
Guhle should be the one to go. He's young and signed long term, which is exactly why he'd fetch the most, and the kids behind him look ready.
The Canadiens sit 5-3-2 and visit Winnipeg on Sunday, then St. Louis and Dallas. Kent Hughes has also pitched Detroit on getting onto Dylan Larkin's list, and if that door opens, Guhle's name will be hard to keep out of the conversation.
Should the Canadiens trade Kaiden Guhle to make room for their young defensemen?
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