Canadiens’ Kaiden Guhle Has Plenty to Prove in a Crucial 2026-27 Season – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are getting closer to training camp, and while most of the attention has been directed toward contract negotiations, roster battles and expectations for the upcoming season, there is another situation worth keeping an eye on. Kaiden Guhle still isn’t practicing.

At this point, there is no reason to panic, especially before training camp has even officially started. However, considering Guhle’s injury history and his importance to the Canadiens’ blue line, his continued absence is something that should at least raise some concern.

Guhle’s Health Remains a Concern

When healthy, Guhle has shown why the Canadiens selected him 16th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He has the skating, physicality and defensive ability to play significant minutes, and he has already been asked to handle difficult assignments against some of the league’s best players. The problem has been keeping him healthy enough to consistently do it.

Guhle has dealt with multiple injuries throughout his young NHL career, preventing him from finding the consistency Montreal would ideally like to see from one of its most important young defensemen. That makes any extended absence worth monitoring, even if the Canadiens are simply being cautious with him ahead of a long season.

Montreal doesn’t necessarily need Guhle practicing in early September to have a successful season. It does, however, need him healthy when the games begin. With expectations significantly higher following last season’s success, the Canadiens can’t afford to enter the year already missing an important piece of their defensive group. Guhle brings a combination of size, mobility and defensive responsibility that isn’t easily replaced.

Canadiens Have Options if Guhle Isn’t Ready

The good news is that Montreal is in a much better position to deal with an injury on defense than it was a few years ago. Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson are two major pieces of the blue line, while Mike Matheson remains capable of handling important minutes. Alexandre Carrier gives the Canadiens another experienced option, and Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj have both shown they can step into the lineup when needed.

There are also younger players pushing from behind. David Reinbacher remains one of the organization’s top prospects and will be looking to force his way into the NHL conversation. Adam Engstrom is another name who could eventually challenge for minutes. An extended Guhle absence could create an opportunity for one of Montreal’s younger defensemen to show that he belongs.

The Canadiens could also shuffle their pairings rather than immediately looking outside the organization. They have enough depth to survive a short-term absence. However, surviving without Guhle and being at their best without him are two different things. If his absence stretches into the regular season or becomes another recurring issue, Kent Hughes may eventually have to consider whether additional defensive depth is necessary.

Guhle Has Something to Prove This Season

Beyond the immediate injury concern, the 2026-27 season feels like an important one for Guhle individually. He is no longer simply a young defenseman trying to establish himself in the NHL. At this stage, Montreal needs to start figuring out exactly where he fits within its long-term defensive core.

Hutson has emerged as a cornerstone, while Dobson gives Montreal another established top-end option. Matheson and Carrier remain important veterans, and prospects such as Reinbacher and Engstrom continue pushing toward NHL roles.

Guhle has all the tools to remain a major part of Montreal’s future, but availability matters. The next step for him isn’t necessarily producing significantly more offense or completely changing the way he plays. It’s staying healthy, finding consistency and showing that the Canadiens can rely on him throughout an entire season.

At his best, Guhle can be the type of defenseman every contender needs. He can skate against top players, play physically, kill penalties and take on difficult defensive assignments while Montreal’s more offensive defensemen are allowed to attack.

His current absence doesn’t mean the Canadiens should suddenly be worried about his long-term future, and there is still plenty of time before the regular season begins. Still, given everything Guhle has already dealt with physically, seeing him away from practice again isn’t ideal. Montreal has alternatives if he isn’t ready. What the Canadiens would much rather have, though, is a healthy Guhle proving exactly why he deserves to remain a major part of this team’s long-term plans.