Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
We could be in for a major turn of events on the Montreal Canadiens’ blue line.
David Reinbacher is starting to make waves, and former Montreal Canadiens scout Grant McCagg is going even further: he would already rank him ahead of Alexandre Carrier.McCagg was the first to suggest Oliver Kapanen as the Canadiens’ second-line centre last summer, when the idea seemed almost far-fetched.
And this year, he believes Reinbacher should already sit above Carrier in the Canadiens’ defensive hierarchy.
His reasoning is based on Reinbacher’s complete game.
Good size, defensive reliability, excellent skating and underrated offensive ability.
One detail about him stands out in particular.
Reinbacher makes very few mistakes, which is rare for such a young defenceman.
His profile also fits the team’s needs.
The Canadiens are looking for a reliable, right-shot defenceman, and Reinbacher could fill that need.
David Reinbacher could reshape the Canadiens’ defence
Ranking him ahead of Carrier right now would still be a bold move.
Reinbacher has played only 2 NHL games, an extremely small sample, while Carrier is honestly so useful to this team.
McCagg also has a specific pairing in mind.
He would like to see Reinbacher play alongside Lane Hutson, a duo he believes would be a perfect fit.
The idea makes sense on paper.
Hutson, with his 78 points, would provide the offence, while Reinbacher would bring stability.
Then there’s the case of Alexandre Carrier, a well-liked veteran.
He recorded 22 points last season and is entering the final year of his contract at $3.75 million.
If Reinbacher impresses at training camp, the defence could be reshaped.
The potential pairings could then look like this:
Hutson-Reinbacher
Matheson-Dobson
Guhle-Carrier
Keeping two extra blueliners would be surprising, which could open the door to a trade.
At this stage, Struble might be the most logical trade candidate.
This should be interesting.
Training camp will provide the first real answers.
What do you think about all of this?
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