• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Montreal Canadiens

The Race to Become the Canadiens’ Next Seventh Defenseman

By Ryan Szporer November 28th, 2020

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

The top two Montreal Canadiens pairings are for all intents set in stone, but not so much the bottom four on the depth chart. The Canadiens may very well keep just seven defensemen on the roster instead of eight though, heightening competition for the highly sought-after single depth position.

Breaking the situation down: if the top pairing of Shea Weber and Ben Chiarot stays intact and Joel Edmundson was acquired to replace Brett Kulak beside Jeff Petry as many believe, that leaves six conceivable options to populate the final three spots on the back end.

Brett Kulak Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Brett Kulak – (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Here are those options, ranked in terms of likelihood of filling that seventh spot on defense, come the start of the 2020-21 NHL season:

6. Xavier Ouellet

It’s hard to dismiss Xavier Ouellet outright. He may be the captain of the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket and a shoo-in to carry on in that role come next season (whenever it is). However, the Canadiens still played him in all 10 postseason games they got in this past summer, indicating they still see some value in him in a depth role.

Ex-Detroit Red Wings defenseman Xavier Ouellet – (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

However, that was by all appearances due to a lack of depth on defense, with Marco Scandella having been traded away at the deadline. A lack of depth is no longer an issue, for several reasons. As a result, Ouellet, who, at 27 years old, is realistically past the point at which he can develop into a regular NHL defenseman, will likely remain one of the first to be called up in case of injury. That’s unfortunately it.

5. Alexander Romanov

It’s possible Alexander Romanov becomes the Habs’ seventh defenseman, in much the same vein it’s possible there will be a snowstorm at some point next July. It can theoretically happen, but it would be less than ideal.

Romanov wasn’t signed to get in the odd game and spend the rest of the time watching from the press box. The highly touted soon-to-be 21-year-old was brought over from Russia to play regularly, whether that’s in the AHL or NHL.

Alexander Romanov Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexander Romanov – (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Considering Romanov has a European Assignment Clause in his contract, meaning he has the right to go back to Russia if he’s demoted, the NHL is much more of a certainty. As a result, look for him to start on the third pairing in the hopes he will move up the lineup eventually. Moving further down just isn’t an option.

4. Brett Kulak

Brett Kulak would make a great seventh defenseman. Unfortunately, it’s not a luxury the Canadiens will have due to salary-cap concerns. Right up against the ceiling, the Canadiens need to shed some space and Kulak’s $1.85 million hit is the largest of anyone on this list.

As a result, Kulak’s likely to be dealt instead, which wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for him personally. Becoming the team’s seventh defenseman would be more of a demotion than anything else, seeing as he had been Petry’s most common partner last regular season and playoffs.

Brett Kulak Montreal Canadiens
Brett Kulak – (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

However, just like it wouldn’t make sense financially to keep Kulak on as a seventh defenseman, Edmundson, a fellow leftie, wasn’t given $3.5 million to play on the third pairing. Seeing as the third spot on the left side is likely Romanov’s, Kulak is probably on his way out as soon as Bergevin finds a taker.

3. Cale Fleury

Cale Fleury is effectively the incumbent in this scenario. He played 41 games last season, getting in an average of 14:21 per game, which was the eighth-most amount among Canadiens defensemen. However, Scandella and Christian Folin are no longer with the Habs. Edmundson and Kulak cancel each other out, in theory. Adding Romanov into the mix, Fleury would end up as the team’s seventh defenseman this coming season, all things being equal. They aren’t though.

2. Victor Mete

Similar to with Kulak, ending up as the Habs’ seventh defenseman would be a step back for Victor Mete. It wasn’t that long ago he was seen as an untouchable key component of the team’s future on the back end.

On Calgary radio, @FriedgeHNIC says that Bergevin is the most active already among all GMs. He is, he says, working on the rebuild. He adds apparently only Price and Mete are untouchable.

— Brian Wilde (@BWildeMTL) January 19, 2018

For all intents and purposes, Romanov has stolen that designation. Still, though, as recently as last season, Mete had played a significant amount of time with Weber on the top pairing. While he far from impressed, Mete is just 22 years old. So, there is still some upside there, whereas Kulak, another left-handed defenseman, is 26 and has a significantly higher cap hit (Mete’s is $735,000).

As a result, Mete should theoretically slot in on the left side below Chiarot, Edmundson and Romanov, making him the seventh defenseman almost by default. However, to accommodate Ouellet in the postseason, Mete shifted to the right side, displaying his versatility even as a third-pairing defenseman. That’s likely where he will be played.

1. Noah Juulsen

Another set of circumstances preventing Fleury from sticking on with the Habs next season is waiver eligibility. Noah Juulsen must go through waivers, while Fleury is exempt, giving the former more of an inside track to stay on, even in the capacity of a seventh defenseman.

Noah Juulsen, Elias Lindholm,
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Juulsen – (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Juulsen has obviously suffered a few setbacks in his development, from an injury standpoint. He admittedly missed all but 13 AHL games last season. However, one of those was the last of the regular season before the hiatus. So, he is healthy in principle.

As Juulsen’s made the Canadiens out of training camp before, he should be able to do it again. Granted, it remains to be seen if Juulsen’s the same defenseman the Canadiens drafted No. 26 overall in 2015, but the Canadiens at least owe him a shot to find out. If they don’t give it to him, they risk losing him altogether, in which case he’ll probably end up a seventh defenseman regardless, just somewhere else.

Seeing as Juulsen is just 23, giving up on him should not be an option. In effect, the Habs don’t just owe it to Juulsen but themselves as well to find out what they have in him.


Sign up for our regular 'Habs Newsletter' for all the latest.

  • Tags
  • Brett Kulak
  • Noah Juulsen
  • Top Story
  • Victor Mete
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 25th 6:30 PM
Archives

San Jose Sharks Coaching History

Jan 25th 6:15 PM
Fantasy

4 Bounceback Candidates for the 2020-21 Fantasy Hockey Season

Jan 25th 6:13 PM
Archives

Blackhawks & Chelios: Together Again

Jan 25th 5:50 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs’ Power-Play Strategy: A Wayne Simmonds’ Net-Front Statue

Jan 25th 5:40 PM
Ottawa Senators

Senators Loading Up Top Line Is a Mistake

Jan 25th 5:30 PM
Buffalo Sabres

3 Sabres Takeaways From Shootout Win Over the Capitals

Jan 25th 5:03 PM
Archives

Edmonton Oilers Jersey History

Jan 25th 4:25 PM
Column

NHL Players of the Week: Kopitar, Varlamov & More

Jan 25th 4:15 PM
Editor's Choice

A Look Back: Grading the Canes’ 2014 Draft Class

Jan 25th 3:45 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Weekly: Injuries, Milestones and Armstrong

Editor’s Picks
2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 75 Rankings

2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 75 Rankings

Wayne Gretzky Almost Joined the Detroit Red Wings

Wayne Gretzky Almost Joined the Detroit Red Wings

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information