If there’s one thing we’ve learned about general manager Kent Hughes is that he doesn’t like losing players on waivers because, in his view, every player has some value that the team can eventually turn into other assets (draft picks, prospects, a bunch of brand new sticks, you name it!). This position from management has seen the Habs stick to their guns to the point of keeping three goaltenders until the trade deadline last season when we all thought it would only last a few weeks just so they wouldn’t risk losing Cayden Primeau on waivers.

It’s safe to say that with the number of defensemen hoping to make the team next season, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton will see waiver eligibility as a factor to manage their assets and decide who stays in the NHL and who’s sent down. And you know what, in the grand scheme of the Habs rebuild, it’s most likely the right thing to do as to not lose any assets before they show their actual potential.

However… Maybe it shouldn’t be the number one criteria to make roster decisions when training camp begins.

As we currently stand we know Guhle, Matheson and Savard have their spot on defence.

Harris and Barron need to go through waivers.

And then you have the following guys coming into camp with the hopes of staying in the NHL despite not having to go through waivers: Xhekaj, Hutson, Mailloux, Struble, Reinbacher and Engstrom.

I’ve made some intricate calculations and can affirm this without fail: There’s just not enough room for everyone.

For some, it’s rather simple, you add the first two groups mentioned and it means there’s only 2 spots left on the team for the group of waiver exempt players. You lose no one and let some of the players develop in the AHL together.

That’s a perfectly sound strategy and may very well be what happens when training camp ends.

This being said, I believe asset management shouldn’t end up being the number one criteria for who’s making the team, it should be about talent and player development.

If players like Hutson, Mailloux or Reinbacher are significantly better than Harris or Barron during training camp, they should be rewarded for their growth and be placed in the best environment to keep improving for the team’s long term success. If they think that environment is the NHL, you don’t prevent them from making the team hoping to maximise the value of other players.

Now I’m obviously not advocating to lose good young defensemen for nothing on waivers. Kent Hughes has shown us that the “trading is hard” mantra from certain NHL GM’s is somewhat overblown. The man can and will move players if needed, usually for a worthwhile return.

The fan base may be behind the rebuild, but it will be hard to accept to see a Hutson-Reinbacher pairing perhaps dominate in the AHL if what we see in Montreal is a struggling Struble-Barron third pairing, just because of waiver eligibility.

We’ll have a better idea of how things will be handled once training camp begins… It should be a very exciting one for the Montreal Canadiens.

And would you look at that…. It’s right around the corner!

Thank you and have a nice day!

Hugo Brossoit (Scabeh)

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