Montreal Canadiens New Lines At Practice Following Cuts

Now that the Montreal Canadiens have assigned Joshua Roy, Adam Engstrom, Logan Mailloux, and Jakub Dobes to the AHL, it’s time to focus on the potential lines and defensive pairings the team will run once they open the regular season on October 9, versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Monday’s practice was the first time we got a glimpse at the current lineup, however, we should remain aware that things can change in a hurry, which means the lines and the defensive pairings are at risk of changing in the near future.

Canadiens Forward Lines At Practice, October 7

First Line: Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky

Second Line: Alex Newhook – Kirby Dach – Joel Armia

Third Line: Alex Barre-Boulet, Christian Dvorak – Josh Anderson

Fourth Line: Emil Heineman – Jake Evans – Brendan Gallagher

Extras: Michael Pezzetta, Oliver Kapanen.

The top line remaining intact is far from surprising, as it was the only trio that has provided a reliable source of offence to head coach Martin St-Louis. Now that Lane Hutson is in the lineup, Nick Suzuki’s job should be a little easier, especially in transition. In turn, this should allow Suzuki to exploit open ice, rather than being forced to create openings for his linemates.

The second line is interesting, especially if Joel Armia rekindles the offensive prowess he tapped into last season when he scored 17 goals in 66 games. If we’re being brutally honest, this doesn’t project as a dominant line on paper, but we also have to remember Dach’s  impact on his linemates. He’s essentially a cheat code in transition, and almost every Canadiens player has produced fantastic numbers alongside the 23-year-old centre. If Dach remains healthy, the Canadiens may finally have two decent lines that can handle things in both the offensive and defensive zone.

ON TOPIC: Canadiens Cut Joshua Roy, Keep Emil Heineman and Oliver Kapanen

The third line features newcomer Alex Barre-Boulet, a hard-working AHL veteran that is hoping to finally carve out a permanent roster spot in the NHL. He lined up with Christian Dvorak and Josh Anderson, two players who have struggled to earn their keep in the last two seasons. Without trying to be too harsh, this combination seems far from ideal, both offensively and defensively.

And finally, Emil Heineman, who arguably had the best camp among the top prospects, was used on the fourth line with Jake Evans and Brendan Gallagher, two of the hardest working players in the lineup.

Oliver Kapanen was skating as an extra forward, though that situation is likely to change in the near future if injuries should occur, or a player fails to start the season on the right foot. Kapanen has a decent amount of professional experience under his belt, and he can play any forward position, giving St-Louis a few more options when debating his lineup choices.

Canadiens Defence Pairings At Practice, October 7

Top Pairing: Mike Matheson – Kaiden Guhle

Second Pairing: Lane Hutson – David Savard

Third Pairing: Arber Xhekaj – Justin Barron

Extra: Jayden Struble (therapy day)

Jayden Struble took a therapy day on Monday, leaving the Canadiens with just six defencemen at practice. As expected, Mike Matheson lined up beside Kaiden Guhle on the first pairing. It’s hard to criticize this choice, but eventually the Habs will want to return Guhle to his natural side rather than forcing him to play on his offside, especially if they expect him to one day become one of the best defencemen in the NHL.

Lane Hutson is expected to play with David Savard, and according to their preseason chemistry, it’s not a bad idea. Historically, Savard’s stats start to decline midway through the season, which is also a risk this year, but there’s no doubt he’s stylistically the right fit to play with Hutson. It’s also important to remember he’s one of the few veterans in the lineup, which means he’ll serve as a mentor to the smooth-skating phenom during his rookie season.

The third pairing featured Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron, though I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canadiens start the season with Struble and Xhekaj forming the final pairing, as Xhekaj can play on both sides, and Barron doesn’t appear to be quite ready to play all 82 games in the season.

#Habs Mike Matheson crashed into the net during #Habs practice; thankfully he looked OK afterwards but the best part is Cole Caufield doing his best papa bear impression punching the net like a parent hitting an inanimate object after their toddler runs into it 😂 pic.twitter.com/6HF7S9VxD8

— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) October 7, 2024