The Next Player to Be Traded Predicted by Insider Eric Engels
The Montreal Canadiens undoubtedly possess one of the most promising pools of defensive prospects, which bodes well for the team's future. In fact, it's been several decades since the Canadiens have had a group of young defensemen as talented as the current one within the organization.
Veterans Mike Matheson and David Savard play a pivotal role in Martin St-Louis' lineup, while players like Kaiden Guhle, Justin Barron, Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, and Jordan Harris are also gaining momentum and will undoubtedly be an integral part of the Canadiens' future success.
Moreover, prospects such as David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson, and Logan Mailloux, who all have the potential to become excellent NHL defensemen, should not be overlooked. There are also players like Bogdan Konyushkov, Adam Engstrom, and William Trudeau, who could surprise and earn a spot with the main club in the coming years.
This presents a good problem for General Manager Kent Hughes, but it will inevitably lead to congestion on the Canadiens' blue line, requiring him to make crucial decisions. However, given that most of these players, unlike Savard and Matheson, have played fewer than 100 NHL games, he will need to find a way to continue evaluating them before trading anyone.
In this regard, Eric Engels seems to have found a potential solution to reduce the number of defensemen in the CH lineup. He believes that Kent Hughes must absolutely part ways with Gustav Lindstrom, acquired in the trade involving Jeff Petry and the Detroit Red Wings, stating that he should be the next player to be traded from the Canadiens.
"Apart from Kaiden Guhle, it's hard to determine which other defensemen under 23 could rise above their third-pair level to become top options. The immediate goal for the Canadiens should be to gain time to complete this evaluation. With Harris' return, trading Gustav Lindstrom or placing him on waivers seems to be the first step in this process." - Eric Engels
After all, the Swedish player is not part of the organization's long-term plans, and his presence limits Martin St-Louis' options. His departure would notably open up a spot for a defenseman like Arber Xhekaj to regain his place in the 23-player roster of the Tricolore.
Certainly, the defensive brigade of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge is becoming increasingly solid, which is very promising for the future of the team!
| POLL |
27 DECEMBRE | 291 ANSWERS The Next Player to Be Traded Predicted by Insider Eric Engels Do you think the Canadiens will trade Gustav Lindstrom? |
| Yes | 233 | 80.1 % |
| No | 58 | 19.9 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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