July 14, 2025
The Montreal Canadiens went into the off-season with some obvious questions about their defense group. David Savard had announced his retirement and, with him being one of two right shots on defense, the hole he was leaving was real.
The questions were obvious. Would David Reinbacher and/or Logan Mailloux be ready to replace Savard on the right side? Would the Habs look to add a proven top-four right-shot defender, or at least a placeholder, through trade or free agency? Would they be prepared to go into another season with one of their left-shot defensemen playing on their off side? Would they extend Michael Matheson?
Since then, the Canadiens traded two first round picks, Emil Heineman and Logan Mailloux for Noah Dobson and Zach Bolduc. The combined outcome of two trades answers a couple of questions. Dobson is a top-pair right-shot who immediately improves Montreal’s blue line. Conversely, Mailloux will have no future in Montreal. But questions remain.
There is a question about Reinbacher’s readiness.
If Reinbacher is not yet ready, an option for the top four becomes somewhat obvious with one guy playing his off side… just like last year.
If HuGo believes Reinbacher is ready, the right side depth is clear. Dobson, Reinbacher and Alexandre Carrier will claim their spots. But that leaves a significant logjam on the left side. Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Matheson, Arber Xhekaj, and Jayden Stuble are five guys for three holes plus the 7th D.
In this scenario, keeping Matheson to play third pair in the depth chart seems foolish. Whether this year or next, Reinbacher will eventually claim his place on the right side, and that has implications for the left.
There is a question about Matheson’s next role.
Matheson is entering the last year of his current team-friendly contract. How does he see his future? No doubt that was the question on HuGo’s mind when they met with Matheson leading up to the draft.
Is Matheson looking to sign a last home run contract? Or is he content to play for his home team in a lesser role for a lesser contract than he would fetch on the open market? The answer to that question might be the only one HuGo requires.
As long as Guhle and Hutson are in Montreal, Matheson is likely in a diminished role, and the Habs might be happy to have him there for the right price. But what does Matheson want?
There is a question about Matheson’s trade value.
Jeff Gorton confirmed this past week, on The Basu & Godin Notebook podcast, that the Canadiens continue to explore whether there is an option to improve the team for the 2025-26 season. If Matheson could be the core piece of a package to land a top six forward, I suspect his future in Montreal would be sorted quickly.
No doubt HuGo is considering whether Matheson could fetch that piece now, or buy them futures that could be added to a package for that forward when he becomes available. They are also likely considering whether Matheson would land them a better return now, or between opening day and the trade deadline as teams identify needs. That approach could also buy Reinbacher time to get ready.
What if the cost of a true high end forward is Guhle? Do they feel comfortable doing that if they extend Matheson?
There is a question about Adam Engstrom.
He’s a 21-year-old left-shot blue-liner who can play right side. He had a great first season in Laval after strong developmental years in Sweden. He might be more NHL-ready than Reinbacher, and his presence in the depth chart may have made it easier to relinquish Mailloux.
Is it possible that the Habs are confident that one of Reinbacher or Engstrom can make the leap to the NHL in the fall, and this allows them flexibility to deal Matheson and/or another left-shot D-man? How do the Habs perceive the gap between Engstrom and Matheson? What about Engstrom and Guhle?
The Canadiens can certainly make their defense group work with Mike Matheson in it. The question is whether the role he is sure to eventually fill is as valuable to the Habs as the return he might fetch in a trade. The plan for the D won’t be clear until the plan for Matheson is sorted.
Hab At Her 