After surging from the NHL basement back into the playoff race, the Montreal Canadiens have hit a deep freeze. Their momentum has vanished, and their recent results reflect it—just two wins in their last six games (2-3-1) and a dismal 0-2-1 record over the past three. Defensive struggles have been glaring, with the team surrendering 25 goals in that span (4.17 GA/GP), while their power play has struggled with a disappointing 14.3% success rate.
To make matters worse, the Canadiens lost one of their top young defensemen, Kaiden Guhle , to a freak injury against the Winnipeg Jets. Guhle fell awkwardly into the boards, suffering a lacerated quadriceps muscle that required surgery. The team has announced that he is out indefinitely, leaving a significant hole on the blue line.
In response, the Canadiens have recalled Jayden Struble from his conditioning stint in Laval ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild. But with a demanding road trip looming—a three-games-in-four-nights swing through California against the Ducks, Sharks, and Kings—the team will likely need reinforcements.
With just six defensemen currently on the roster, expect another call-up from Laval. While many believe Logan Mailloux is the frontrunner, some argue that Adam Engström, who is also enjoying a strong season, could get the nod. However, don’t be surprised if Gustav Lindström is the chosen candidate. The 26-year-old right-shot defenseman has 174 NHL games under his belt, including three with the Canadiens last season. In 32 games with the Ducks in 2022-23, he recorded six assists and an impressive +12 rating. So far this year, he has four goals and three assists in 29 games with Laval, with a solid +7 differential.
Management’s Approach
Some speculate that Guhle’s injury could alter the Canadiens’ trade deadline approach, but that seems unlikely. Jeff Gorton recently told Jimmy Murphy and Pierre McGuire on The Sick Podcast – The Eye Test that the front office planned to evaluate the team until the upcoming 4-Nations Faceoff before making any firm decisions. The idea was to potentially reward the players with reinforcements if they remained in contention.
If this current cold streak continues, however, expect the Canadiens to shift gears and become sellers for the third straight year.
