Major decision and controversy expected among the Canadiens' defensemen

Both defenders have one-way contracts, meaning they cannot be sent down to the American Hockey League without passing through waivers.

Xhekaj proved his worth during the second half of the season after a stint with the Rocket. In contrast, Justin Barron has struggled to establish himself in the Canadiens' defensive lineup.

With the addition of Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher, and Logan Mailloux at training camp, it will be interesting to see if the management decides to keep one, two, or all three of these young defensemen.

The latter scenario would be surprising, but it's not entirely out of the question. There won't be room for everyone in Montreal, either.

It is assumed that Mike Matheson, David Savard, and Kaiden Guhle will have their spots secured in the locker room.

Jordan Harris, Barron, and Xhekaj have one-way contracts. With only one or two spots remaining, we must also consider Jayden Struble, who played 56 NHL games last season.

A major puzzle is on the horizon...

Former Canadiens coach Stéphane Waite and La Presse journalist Richard Labbé discussed this situation with Jean-François Baril on 98.5 and the Cogeco network on Tuesday evening: