Transaction between the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets? One particular player could greatly help the Habs
On numerous occasions, the general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, Kent Hughes, has stated that he would not hesitate to make trades if they could help his team in the long term.
Despite the fact that the Tricolore already has several defenders in its organization, the right side of the defense looks rather weak for the 2023-2024 season. Apart from David Savard who is the only veteran who can occupy this position, the CH will have to rely on players like Justin Barron, Jonathan Kovacevic, Gustav Lindstrom, and Chris Wideman to complete the second and third pair.
While Justin Barron has very interesting potential, the last three players mentioned previously are more depth defenders who could carve out a spot in the lineup in case of injury. Moreover, Gustav Lindstrom and Chris Wideman will become free agents at the end of the season, thus leaving a gaping hole in the Montreal defense.
Although Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher will take over soon, it would be greatly beneficial for these two young prospects to have ample time to develop before making the jump into the NHL. In this regard, in a recent column published on the Habsolumentfan site, Gabriel Simard mentioned that the solution for the Canadiens could possibly be found in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets potentially have one of the best defenses in the NHL, and Mike Babcock's team has several right-handed defenders, such as Damon Severson, David Jiricek, Adam Boqvist, and some veterans like Erik Gudbranson and Andrew Peeke. In addition, the 2021 first-round pick, Corson Ceulemans, excelled during his stay in the AHL last year, he who could conceivably make his debut in the national league this season.
Gabriel Simard therefore believes that the Tricolore's management should pay particular attention to this situation, targeting Adam Boqvist as a potential candidate to bring a breath of fresh air to the Montreal defense. Despite the fact that he possesses a lot of talent, his future in Columbus seems increasingly uncertain due to the team's depth at this position.
Here is a prediction of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge's defense if Kent Hughes succeeds in getting his hands on the young Swedish defender:
Guhle - Boqvist: Guhle, being a very complete pure defender, would adapt perfectly to Boqvist's more offensive style. Together, they could quickly become a threat to opposing teams, both in the defensive and offensive zones.
Xhekaj - Harris: These two youngsters could form an explosive pair, combining Harris' skating and Xhekaj's physical play.» - Gabriel Simard
Selected in the first round of the 2018 draft (8th overall pick), the offensive-minded defender could bring a completely different dimension to the Tricolore's lineup. The 23-year-old, who is currently serving the last two seasons of his contract valued at 2.6 million dollars annually, did very well last year with a harvest of 24 points in 46 games.
He could quickly become a valuable asset on the second power-play wave, all while forming a complete duo with Kaiden Guhle. Do you think the Canadiens should try to acquire him to allow David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux to develop properly before arriving in the NHL?
Credit: Habsolumentfan
| POLL | ||
Should the Canadiens try to get their hands on the young defenseman Adam Boqvist? | ||
| Yes | 107 | 55.7 % |
| No | 85 | 44.3 % |
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