NHL insider believes trade is closing in regarding one Habs defenseman

In his estimation, the battle for that coveted seventh defenseman slot on the Montreal Canadiens will boil down to a tussle between Arber Xhekaj and Logan Mailloux. For Godin, while both players have shown promise, it's Xhekaj's poor showing in camp that's given the door a nudge and allowed Mailloux to state his case. With the season looming, that last roster spot is still anyone's guess and will be the most interesting storyline to follow through camp.

As Godin suggests, the top six defensemen for the Canadiens are relatively similar and might not see a drastic change unless some sort of surprise occurs unexpectedly. The top defensive pairing would likely consist of Kaiden Guhle with Mike Matheson, a pairing that can stabilize the back end and bring some much-needed offense. The second pairing would likely be veteran David Savard with young phenom Lane Hutson. This may bring about an interesting mix of experience and youthful energy, where the steady defensive play from Savard offsets the offensive creativity brought by Hutson. It would seem obvious that management will balance out the roster with veterans and young, promising talent.

The third defensive pairing does become more open to question, however. Justin Barron, due to his contract structure, seems to be a slam dunk to take one of those spots. But who takes the other?. As journalist Eric Engels explained, if Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is serious about giving both David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux an opportunity in the NHL this season, he may have no choice but to move one of his current blue liners to accommodate him. Of course, that could very well mean trading one to make room for one or both, which, as was touched on, can only lead to speculation regarding who that might be.

Justin Barron Trade? Maybe David Savard? Of the two, it would be the potential loss of Savard that might prove the most disconcerting for the Canadiens, as he's been a bit of an on-ice mentor and steadying influence on Lane Hutson. Godin states that were he to have a vote, he believes that trading Savard would be a mistake, as his experience and defensive awareness are simply too vital, let alone to a young, developing player like Hutson. This chemistry between the two can be a cornerstone for the Canadiens' D this coming season. Therefore, any type of decision to shake up this pairing would have to be very thought out.

The coming season presents a number of interesting questions for management of the Canadiens. This competition between Arber Xhekaj and Logan Mailloux for the seventh defenseman spot is one of several storylines to follow as the season progresses. Assuming the top two defensive pairings seem pretty set, attention will turn to how the third pairing shapes up and whether the organization wants to do some roster shuffling to allow for their youngsters to work their way in. It will fall on Kent Hughes to sort out the moving parts and arrive at a solution that puts the team in an advantageous position.