A defense depth chart that includes 11 players, eight of whom are under 23 years old, is enticing for several reasons. Since the Canadiens last won a Stanley Cup in 1993, when players like Éric Desjardins, Mathieu Schneider, and Patrice Brisebois were on the team, this generation of young defensemen is the best.
The Canadiens must decide which players can contribute to a future playoff run and which might be traded for some much-needed help up front. The issue is that there isn’t enough room for all of them on the roster, even though Laval may have the best defence corps in the AHL.
The much-awaited debuts of Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux added another layer of difficulty to the task facing coach Marty St. Louis and the front office.
Despite his listed weight of 162 pounds and 5-foot-10 (maybe), Hutson is a dynamic player on the rink. Like a water bug, he’s always on the lookout for an open teammate or a shooting lane. He will occasionally find himself in unfavorable matchups when traveling because he will be outmuscled on his own end. However, you want him on the ice whenever the Canadiens have the puck, especially when they are on a power play.
Outmuscling 6-foot-3, 220 pound Mailloux takes a lot of work. In terms of scoring among AHL defensemen, he ranked third, demonstrating his offensive threat. His performance on defense is becoming better, and he was selected for the AHL all-rookie team. Additionally, the Canadiens need a right-handed bat in this region, and he and David Reinbacher, a 2023 first-round selection choice, fit the bill. The Canadiens were compelled to play Jordan Harris and Kaiden Guhle, both left-handed shooters, on the right side last season.
