What’s Left of the 2024 Free Agent Class: Defencemen
Montreal has been quiet on the defensive front in free agency with their only additions coming from a trio of AHL contracts handed out on July 1st. Even though they have a full group of blueliners, there are a handful of free agents left who could be of interest if other roster moves get made.
At this point, it doesn’t seem likely that they’d be adding to their back end options in Montreal but if one is traded or the team believes they need to hedge in case certain youngsters aren’t ready, then it’s possible they’d look to add.
Names Of (Some) Note
Oliver Kylington: Personally, I think he has the most upside left of any of the blueliners still out there. Yes, he comes with question marks having missed a year and a half dealing with his mental health but his last full year was a 31-point effort in 2021-22. His fit with the Habs isn’t necessarily the best as their depth spots are largely occupied but someone is going to land a reasonably-priced upside move whenever he signs. He’s believed to be seeking a two-year deal which is probably the holdup at this point.
Justin Schultz: While he hasn’t come close to matching the 51 points he put up in 2016-17, Schultz has been a pretty steady secondary contributor offensively in recent years. He had 60 points over his two years in Seattle and reached the double-digit mark for power play points both times. We all know how bad the power play has been in recent years and while Lane Hutson should help eventually, that might not come right away. Adding Schultz on a one-year deal would work as a hedge should Hutson need some AHL time and a good showing could make him a candidate to flip closer to the trade deadline.
More Offensive Specialists: While I use the term loosely for some of these players, Tyson Barrie, Tony DeAngelo, John Klingberg, and Kevin Shattenkirk are also out there. Barrie is one of the better power play quarterbacks, he just gives a lot of it back defensively. DeAngelo can put up the points but that hasn’t stopped him from bouncing around lately. Klingberg is eligible for a one-year deal with bonuses after the injury-plagued year he had and while he struggled with Toronto, there’s some potential upside if he can get back to form. Shattenkirk doesn’t quite fit here but he has been a capable secondary producer over his career. Notably, these are all right-shot options which, as we know, is the side where their depth is more limited. If they want Hutson to start in Laval, there could be at least a short-term use for one of these players to give Montreal a second defender with some offensive upside.
Marco Scandella: I hesitated about putting him on this list as last season was a particularly rough one for the former Hab. But he could still be a sixth or seventh defender, giving the Habs someone some experience killing penalties and an extra veteran in the room. I’d be surprised if they went after him but after combining four players in the section above, I’m running out of options pretty quickly.
Younger Options
(Players who are RFA-aged but weren’t tendered qualifying offers last month.)
Calen Addison – Most of the players in this section will be viewed as possible Laval additions but Addison is the one who could land an NHL spot. He has had offensive success at the NHL level; he’s only a year removed from a 29-point season. However, the 24-year-old has struggled mightily in the defensive zone which is why he finds himself in free agency. If the Habs want an extra right-shot option for the end of the roster with some power play upside, he might be worth taking a flyer on.
Sean Day – Once a top prospect granted exceptional status in the OHL, Day has spent most of his career in the minors including the last four seasons in Tampa Bay’s system, some of which saw him playing for new Laval assistant coach Daniel Jacob. The 26-year-old has shown flashes of above-average production in the minors and if they want a left-shot option with some experience to recall from the Rocket (allowing someone like Adam Engstrom more time to develop uninterrupted), Day could fill that role.
Lucas Johansen – The 2016 first-round pick has seen NHL spot duty in three straight years and, when healthy, is a capable defender who is willing to jump into the rush, a trait the Habs seem to be prioritizing. At 26, there isn’t necessarily much upside left but wherever he lands will be his first time out of Washington’s system so perhaps a new coach can help. That said, he’s being mentioned for the same type of role as Day above, nothing more.
Gustav Lindstrom – Yes, I’m serious. Is Lindstrom a viable NHL defenceman over the course of a full season? No. But can he cover some third-pairing minutes when injuries arise and play a stabilizing role in the minors? That’s probably his best fit right now. I’m not advocating for him to play ahead of guys like Logan Mailloux or David Reinbacher but rather behind them on the third pairing in Laval while being someone who could come up as a seventh defender when injuries arise.
Victor Mete – Why not end with another former Hab? Last season was the first one where he spent an extended amount of time in the minors and while he wasn’t a big producer with Lehigh Valley, he did well in the type of role that should be available for him in Laval, that being the lower-end left defender like Day or Johansen.
As you can see, there aren’t as many potentially viable options on the back end for teams as there are up front. And again, there aren’t many realistic spots to try to fill on the blueline for the Habs; only in specific situations would it be viable. There are some more realistic fits for Laval, however, if management decides that they want a bit more depth heading into training camp.