The Montreal Canadiens made a significant move by acquiring young defenseman Kaiden Guhle at the 16th overall pick in the 2020 draft
We often hear about the mistakes Marc Bergevin and Trevor Timmins made in the draft, but rarely about their successes. Of course, the first name that comes to mind is Cole Caufield, but they didn't have much choice in selecting him.
Another player who is a real steal is defenseman Kaiden Guhle. Drafted 16th overall in a very peculiar session in October after a strange COVID season, Guhle quickly became one of the team's top prospects.
Three years later, he is a crucial player, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game and landing in the Canadiens' top 3. At 21, this is remarkable for a defenseman.
Mathias Brunet had fun re-drafting the 2020 class, and Guhle jumped 13 spots. According to the journalist, Kaiden should have been selected 3rd overall.
1 - Tim Stutzle
2 - Jake Sanderson
3 - Kaiden Guhle
4 - Quinton Byfield
5 - Cole Perfetti
6 - Lucas Raymond
7 - Alexis Lafrenière
The entire top 7 has changed, with Alexis Lafrenière now being 7th instead of first. Certainly, it's easy to redo this exercise a few years later, but it remains that Bergevin and Timmins showed great insight in this selection.
It's rare for a young defenseman to go straight from junior to the National Hockey League. In fact, Guhle played three games with the Rocket just after turning 19.
There's no doubt he will be good for a long time, and the Canadiens absolutely must sign him long-term. Additionally, as seen this summer, Guhle loves the city and the fans. He spent a good part of the warm season in Montreal, somewhat like Nick Suzuki.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, how much will Kaiden Guhle earn in his next contract? | ||
| Less than $5 million | 178 | 53 % |
| More than $5 million | 158 | 47 % |
| List of polls | ||
