Predicting The Canadiens Opening-Night Roster, Final Cuts

As it stands, the Montreal Canadiens still have three goalies, 11 defencemen, and 16 forwards remaining at training camp.

However, Gannon Laroque, William Trudeau, and David Reinbacher are currently injured, therefore, the Canadiens currently have 27 healthy players remaining at camp, which means they must cut four more players from camp to submit a legal 23-man roster.

Montreal Canadiens Defensive Situation

It stands to reason the Habs will send Kaapo Kahkonen to the AHL to serve as a veteran presence alongside Jacob Fowler. In other words, the defensive situation is almost settled, with two goalies and eight healthy defencemen in the mix.

Of course, it also depends on how the Habs will configure their 23-man roster for the opening-night of the regular season. They may want to carry an extra defenceman, or give head coach Martin St-Louis more options among depth forwards.

Healthy Defensive Players Remaining At Training Camp

Eight Defencemen: Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, Arber Xhekaj, Alex Carrier, Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble,

Judging by the pairings at practice on Thursday, we have a pretty good idea of the combinations favoured by the head coach.

Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson

Kaiden Guhle – Lane Hutson

Arber Xhekaj – Alexandre Carrier

Adam Engstrom – Jayden Struble

While the battles among forwards are yet to be settled, it’s relatively easy to predict which player will be cut from the remaining defencemen. Adam Engstrom does not require waivers to report to the Laval Rocket in the AHL, where he will be tasked with playing significant minutes due to Reinbacher’s injury.

It simply does not make sense to risk losing a player like Struble or Xhekaj on waivers, especially since they stood out at camp as key physical presences.

ON TOPIC: Demidov Shines On Xhekaj Fight Night In Quebec City

Healthy Forwards Remaining At Training Camp

16 Forwards: Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Ivan Demidov, Joe Veleno, Owen Beck, Patrik Laine, Florian Xhekaj, Jake Evans, Josh Anderson, Samuel Blais.

If the Canadiens keep seven defencemen in the mix, they must cut two more forwards to reach a 23-man roster. Unlike the relatively consistent defensive pairings we’ve seen at camp, St-Louis once again ran new forward lines on Thursday, as he’s yet to find his ideal combinations on the second, third, and fourth lines.

Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky

Zachary Bolduc – Kirby Dach – Brendan Gallagher

Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov

Joe Veleno – Owen Beck – Patrik Laine

Florian Xhekaj – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson/Samuel Blais

The first thing that stands out is that both Kapanen and Beck are being used as centres, which connotes that they’re getting a longer look from the Canadiens. It’s also important to note neither player is eligible for waivers. The same applies to Florian Xhekaj and Ivan Demidov, though the latter has a guaranteed roster spot. Therefore, we can safely say the players used in the top nine at practice will be part of the opening-night roster, including Kapanen.

Laine, Evans, and Anderson will undoubtedly start the season in the NHL, leaving two cuts to be made between Veleno, F. Xhekaj, Beck, and Blais.

I’d argue Blais would be the perfect replacement for Michael Pezzetta, serving as the team’s 13th forward. Unlike F. Xhekaj, or Beck, development is no longer the name of the game for Blais, giving him the inside track in this particular race.

And finally, even though I believe both F. Xhekaj and Beck can bring more to the table than Veleno in an 82-game season, the Canadiens won’t risk losing him on waivers just to give prospects sporadic ice time in the NHL.

Returning both players to the AHL despite their strong performances at camp is not ideal. Although players are told they can earn a roster spot with an outstanding showing, many final decisions come down to logistics. They will likely be among the first players recalled from the AHL when injuries inevitably arise, and they will also have access to ample ice time in Laval to maintain their upward trajectory.

Predicted Opening-Night Montreal Canadiens Lineup

As a reminder, this is not the roster I would personally choose, but rather my prediction of how the Canadiens will make their final roster decisions. There may be changes in the actual composition of the forward lines, but the goal is to predict which players will make the final cut, not necessarily the exact lines that will face the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 8.

Projected Final Cuts: Adam Engstrom, Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, Kaapo Kahkonen.