A big clue to the Montreal Canadiens' plan for Kaiden Guhle

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Jeff Drouin
September 20, 2022 (3:43 PM)

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Among the Canadiens' prospects to watch out for at the opening of training camp, there will certainly be defenseman Kaiden Guhle.

A first round pick in 2020, the young Dman will likely have a chance to make his mark in 2022-2023 and most experts expect Guhle to start the season in Montreal.

But there aren't many 20-year-old defensemen playing consistently in the NHL, and as Alex Néron of Fanadiens.com reports, there were five in 2021-2022, including Moritz Seider of the Red Wings, Jamie Drysdale of the Ducks, Braden Schneider of the Rangers, Tobias Bjornfot of the Kings and Bowen Byram of the Avalanche.

It is true that a defenseman takes longer to develop and even if many consider Kaiden Guhle to be ready to play in the NHL this fall, it will not be necessary to skip steps in his case.

So we could expect the young defenseman to shuttle back and forth between Montreal and Laval on a regular basis during the season, but it's a safe bet that Kent Hughes has a very specific plan for his defenseman.

After all, Guhle is considered one of the top prospects among defensemen and there have even been comparisons between him and a certain Shea Weber. When you're compared to a defenseman of Weber's caliber, it's obvious that the Habs will have to do everything they can to develop Guhle and surround him well.

At the moment, many signs point to patience on the part of the CH's management with regards to Kaiden Guhle, but it will be something to watch over the next few days. His use in the most recent rookie camp could be another good indication.

How many games do you think Kaiden Guhle will play in Montreal this season?