The Canadiens are taking a different-looking group into Saturday night’s matchup with the Detroit Red Wings, and the biggest wrinkle is one they haven’t used yet this season: 11 forwards and seven defensemen active.
That setup appears to be tied to a pair of roster issues. Florian Xhekaj is dealing with an injury, while Oliver Kapanen does not seem ready to return. At the same time, Kaiden Guhle is on track to come back and make his season debut, giving Montreal the flexibility to dress an extra defenseman.
That opens the door for a few possible lineup shuffles. One option is Arber Xhekaj sliding up into the forward group and taking his brother’s place on the fourth line. Montreal has done something like that before, and Xhekaj even spent a game last season up front.
Another possibility is more about easing Guhle back in. If the Canadiens want seven defensemen active, it could be a way to avoid asking him to log 15-20 minutes right away in his first game back. In that version, Montreal would likely lean harder on its top three forward lines and rotate one player through the fourth line.
Saturday’s surprises did not stop there. The Canadiens also announced that Jacob Fowler will make his second straight start after debuting Thursday night against Nashville.
Fowler was brought up from Laval earlier in the week after Samuel Montembeault was injured in practice. In his first NHL start, he allowed three goals on 18 shots against the Predators.
There are a couple of obvious reasons Montreal might stick with him. Detroit is the softer matchup on paper, while the Buffalo Sabres, who the Canadiens face Tuesday, are stronger offensively. And with Montembeault sidelined, the team may want to give Fowler as many NHL starts as possible.
Fowler is Montreal’s top goalie prospect and one of the best prospects in the NHL, but he did not begin the season with the big club because Montembeault was ahead of him on the depth chart. Now, with Montembeault out, the Canadiens have a chance to get Fowler more reps at the NHL level and help speed up that adjustment when his time in Montreal becomes permanent.
The puck drops against Detroit at 7 PM on Saturday night.
In Other News...
Adam Engstrom Just Gave Canadiens A Tough Blue Line Decision
Adam Engstroms season debut for Montreal came in a 5-2 loss to Nashville, but the rookie defenseman still gave the Canadiens something to think about on a night when their blue line was under the microscope. He skated just under 12 minutes and was not on the ice for any goals against, and his work helped steady a third pairing that had looked shakier in previous games.
Engstrom also stood out in a quieter way by leading Montreal defensemen in turnovers, though none of them turned into dangerous chances for the Predators. For a team trying to sort out its back end, that kind of performance makes the next lineup decision a little more interesting, especially if the Canadiens are looking for signs that a young defender can handle more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Telling Blue Line Decision After Struble Trade
Montreals trade of Jayden Struble looks less like a simple subtraction and more like a sign of where the blue line is headed. The Canadiens still have six defensemen on the roster, but management clearly treated the move as strategic, with defensive reinforcements expected to follow rather than leaving the group thin for long.
The next step is what makes the situation worth watching. Kaiden Guhle is nearing a return, which could handle the open spot right away, while David Reinbacher remains the other major internal option if the club decides it needs a seventh defenseman. For a team trying to balance present needs with longer-term planning, the answer will say plenty about how the Canadiens see their depth chart right now. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Delicate Dylan Larkin Test At Bell Centre
The Bell Centre crowd has a way of turning routine visits into something a little more complicated, and Dylan Larkins next trip to Montreal is already carrying an extra layer of intrigue. The Red Wings captain is off to a steady start with two points in two games this season, and with an $8.7 million cap hit, he remains the kind of player who draws attention wherever he goes.
What makes this one stand out is the backdrop around his arrival, which has turned the Canadiens home date into more than just another test on the schedule. TVA Sports reporter Anthony Martineau noted the growing conversation around how Larkin might be received in Canada, and whether the atmosphere inside the building could end up mattering beyond one night at the rink. [Read more 🡒]