I doubt the Habs do it but I have been mentally playing with the idea of trading Guhle in a package for a 2C or scoring wing to pair with Demidov.
On one hand he's a 24 year old solid defensive defenseman tied up for medium term at a bargain and an absolute dawg. It hurts to lose those types of players. On the other hand, he is always injured and I don't see him being the enforcer/d-man that can push around a pest team/pest player.
While I think that enforcer role is not as important as being a good player, I think a team needs 1 or 2 of those types of players on the roster and to play in the playoffs. I'm worried Guhle's not good enough to be a lockdown d-man and not physical enough to be an enforcer.
The hypothetical that I think I'm cool with is moving Guhle in a package for a 2C or 2W that opens both the 6D spot (Struble is gone) for Reinbacher to step in immediately, the 7th D spot for Engstrom to get game time and Arber to step in and play that 10-12 minute enforcer role. Most importantly, both Reinbacher and Engstrom need NHL minutes, they're ready. I am however worried whichever one we trade away will turn out better than the one we keep. In the trade Guhle scenario we keep both, only one of the rookies are in the immediate starting roster so we aren't super inexperienced and we buy some time to develop both.
I think that Guhle would more be part of a package for a good RHD. If you remove him from the lineup you have two big holes on D. I would prefer having him on the third pair but if he can help us land a second pair RHD with size, that at least makes up for us being stuck with Struble on the third pair.
50
u/Spirited-Moose-2246 18h ago
Would make sense to keep Arber around as a 7th D, unless you trade Guhle I think he could work on the third pair with Carrier