Montreal Canadiens facing tough decisions on their back end

The Montreal Canadiens are going to have to make some tough decisions regarding their defensive core

With the Montreal Canadiens out of the playoff race and already looking to next season, the Habs are in a position of strength when determining their defensive corps for the 2018-2019 campaign. It wasn’t a blockbuster, but Marc Bergevin made a trade that could make a veteran the odd man out in Montreal next season.

The Canadiens acquired defenseman Mike Reilly from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2019. He was in limbo since being signed by the Wild as an NCAA free agent from the University of Minnesota. The 24-year old has played in 84 NHL games in three seasons and looked like a freed man in his first game at the Bell Centre.

Mike Reilly isn’t the only new kid on the block. Habs head coach Claude Julien and the rest of the Canadiens brass are keen on evaluating what they have in their young defensemen. Victor Mete has already proved he can handle the workload as a 19-year old. He was the only NHL player from Canada to be loaned for the World Juniors. Mete’s poised to stay in the big leagues.

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Meanwhile, 2015 first-round pick Noah Juulsen is getting all the looks he can handle and is trying to prove he can cut it in the NHL. Add in Shea Weber and Karl Alzner’s lengthy contracts, as well as Jordie Benn’s physical prowess that’s needed, and you have questions on what to do with David Schlemko and Jeff Petry.

Starting next season Petry’s full No-Movement-Clause becomes limited as he can select 15 teams to not be moved to. That leaves half the league being eligible to make a deal with Bergevin.

Petry would fetch a nice return. The 30-year old has 17 Power Play points this season and has already set a career high in points. As for Schlemko, trading him would fetch a minimal return for a defenseman with a serviceable contract. He’s an easier piece to move at the deadline next season if the fit with Claude Julien doesn’t work out.

Petry’s NMC doesn’t kick in until July 1. With Philip Danault needing a new contract and Carey Price’s 8-year $84 Million deal kicking in next season, moving Petry’s contract would provide Bergevin with a little more room to make moves on his offense.

After a career year, he could fetch a first-round pick from a team in need of a top-four defenseman. With the Detroit Red Wings receiving three draft picks from the Vegas Golden Knights, the Habs can look at that transaction as something to consider for their future.

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The Canadiens own five picks in the first two rounds and ten overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Bergevin and Co. may take the easy way out and wait to deal the defenseman, but as we’ve seen in the past, the Habs have no problem shipping out any name on his roster.