Kaiden Guhle's harm opens door for Canadiens' Justin Barron
Montreal’s seventh defenceman seems prone to play his first recreation of the season Saturday night time in opposition to the Capitals on the Bell Centre.
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It seems Kaiden Guhle and Justin Barron will perpetually be inextricably linked.
The 2 had been defence companions on the 2021 world junior championship, when Canada received a silver medal. Each had been first-round draft selections in 2020; Guhle chosen sixteenth total, 9 picks earlier than Barron was taken by Colorado.
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And now, because of an harm to Guhle, Barron might make his regular-season debut Saturday night time, when Montreal completes a three-game homestand in opposition to Washington.
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Guhle is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body harm, the Canadiens introduced on Thursday. The 21-year-old didn’t return for the third interval of Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Minnesota. Guhle missed the ultimate month final season with a high-ankle sprain and was restricted to 44 video games. He has one help this season whereas teaming with Johnathan Kovacevic.
The Canadiens might nonetheless elect to recall defenceman Mattias Norlinder — who arguably carried out higher than Barron all through coaching camp and exhibition video games — from their Laval AHL affiliate. However for now it seems the 6-foot-2, 202-pound Barron will costume.
“I don’t assume you ever wish to see one in all your teammates get injured,” Barron mentioned Thursday, following the staff’s 60-minute follow on the CN Sports activities Complicated in Brossard. “He (Guhle) has had some robust luck the final few minutes. Hopefully he can get again wholesome. I’d love the prospect to get to play with him once more as D-partners.
“As soon as I get within the lineup it’s as much as me to indicate what I can do,” the 21-year-old Halifax native added.
Barron, who performed junior within the QMJHL for his hometown Mooseheads, remains to be making an attempt to find himself on the NHL degree. He solely performed two video games for the Avalanche earlier than his March 2022 commerce to the Canadiens for Artturi Lehkonen. Montreal additionally acquired a 2024 second-round draft selection within the deal.
Street to the Cup
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However Barron struggled at coaching camp the next season and was assigned to the Rocket, a demotion he admitted on the time was initially troublesome to course of. Barron overcame his disappointment and may need been Laval’s greatest defenceman earlier than being recalled on Dec. 27, after producing seven targets and 16 factors in 25 video games.
In 39 video games with Montreal following his promotion, Barron scored 4 targets and 15 factors whereas averaging 16:18 of ice time. He had one power-play, one short-handed and one game-winning objective.
Barron mentioned he wasn’t stunned to begin the season as a wholesome scratch whereas the Canadiens went 1-1-1. “I used to be proud of my camp and felt like I had a great camp,” he mentioned. “That’s the roster that they wished to begin the season with. We’ve received a younger back-end with a variety of good gamers.
“It was only a matter of ready to get into the lineup and attempting to benefit from that chance. I’d a lot quite begin the yr right here than final yr in Laval. It’s solely been three video games and it’s a protracted season. I really feel able to go. I’ve had some good skates the final week and a half. If I’m in I’m excited and able to play.”
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Stéphane Robidas, who coaches Montreal’s defencemen, has informed Barron to be sound in his personal zone, robust to play in opposition to and reliable in several conditions. Barron already possesses good measurement and is a superb skater.
“He hasn’t performed till now as a result of we really feel snug with the six in entrance of him,” head coach Martin St. Louis mentioned. “Possibly he’ll get an opportunity to play now. Gamers like JB, they’ve simply received to remain prepared. Are you stepping into due to the efficiency of fellows in entrance of you aren’t as much as par? Are you stepping into as a result of guys in entrance of you bought harm? Are you stepping into as a result of we are able to’t maintain you sitting down? There’s various things. Regardless of the purpose, it doesn’t matter. He’s received to be prepared.”
Guhle’s harm, mixed with Kirby Dach’s season-ending torn ligaments, leaves the Canadiens with solely 21 accessible gamers, together with third-string goaltender Cayden Primeau.
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