Could Kaiden Guhle play with the Canadian next season? Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes did not rule out this possibility on Tuesday during a roundtable on the social network Twitch.
Posted yesterday at 10:05 p.m.
Asked which prospects have a good chance of breaking into the roster next season, the two men named only one name: Kaiden Guhle. The 20-year-old defenseman has 40 points in 42 WHL games this season.
“We’re not going to force players into situations that they’re not ready for, but at the same time we’re not going to restrict players if they show themselves ready for it,” Hughes explained.
Remember that the Habs’ staff took advantage of a trip to Edmonton at the beginning of March to attend a match against the Albertan, first-round pick in 2020 (16and in total).
“I really like his skate, he plays a solid game. I see him playing in the style of Ben Chiarot, ”imaged the DG.
The latter also added that he expected Guhle to be a “Montreal Canadian for a long time”.
Roy, Harris, Northinder, Schueneman
Several other Canadian hopefuls were discussed during the roundtable. Among others, Joshua Roy, who dominates the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (LHJMQ) with 88 points in 46 games this season. Fifth round choice in 2021, the Beauceron is only 18 years old.
“He is having a good season, we like what he is doing and it would be good [qu’il joue à Montréal éventuellement], said Jeff Gorton. The sooner he can get there, the better. We are very happy with the way he is playing and developing. I think we’ll sit down with him soon to see what’s next. »
In the case of defenseman Jordan Harris, he will soon be taking part in the NCAA Men’s National Hockey Championship. We will therefore have to wait a little longer before knowing if he will sign with the CH. Harris is the closest Canadiens prospect to the NHL among those playing in the college ranks.
“We hope he will sign with us, reiterated Kent Hughes. […] I have known Jordan for a long time, I was his coach. I know his family. He’s played with and against my eldest son since they were 7 or 8 years old. I’m hopeful that this familiarity will work in our favour. »
On Swedish defender Mattias Norlinder, the 2019 third-round pick, Hughes was rather evasive. “We love it here in North America,” he said. Whether it’s Laval or Montreal, that’s a decision that will be made during training camp. »
praise
The two leaders of the CH were also full of praise for players who were recalled from the American League during the season, such as Michael Pezzetta and Corey Schueneman, and who are still with the team today.
“His style of play is attractive to the fans and his bosses,” Gorton said of Pezzetta. He’s good, he’s getting better skill-wise lately. Kent and I were talking about this the other day. We are impressed with where he is and what he has done. »
As for Schueneman, “he has been impressive since his recall,” suggested the VP of hockey operations.
“If he can continue to play like that, we would like to keep him for the future, he continued. He plays the puck well, he plays bigger than he is and he can shoot. It’s exciting to see him play lately. »
Hughes and Gorton were unsurprisingly tight-lipped when it came to discussing plans for the upcoming offseason and the free agent market.
“We can’t tell everyone everything! said Gorton with a smile.