A Decision to Be Made


In glancing up and down the Montreal Canadiens roster, it's becoming more and more obvious that newly appointed GM, Marc Bergevin, may have to make a trade sooner than later.

The Habs have 14 forwards and 7 defensemen signed to contracts (soon to be 8).

Among the forwards, given the fact that Petteri Nokelainen is injured, we're left with 13 signed forwards ready to start the season (not counting a potential 6 game tryout for Alex Galchenyuk or the possibility that Louis Leblanc makes the team).

As for the defenders, with Markov, Kaberle, Gorges, Bouillon, Emelin, Diaz and Weber signed to deals (with a PK Subban contract soon to follow), the Habs will have a glut of blueliners. And that's not counting the possibility of camp invitee, Mike Commodore, making the squad (long shot), or rookies Jarred Tinordi or Nathan Beaulieu sticking with the team (also unlikely).

All in all, discounting the rookies or vet camp invite, the Habs will have 8 NHL defensemen on their hands at the start of camp. With the need for only 7 once the season starts, you have to wonder where a guy like Yannick Weber fits in?

Though there is always the potential for injury in camp, chances are one of those 8 defenders will have to be moved.

Considering the lineup, it's not likely that Markov, Gorges, Subban (when signed), Bouillon or Emelin are going anywhere. As much as folks would like to see the risky Markov shipped elsewhere, he has little value without proving it once again on NHL ice, so he's not going anywhere anytime soon.

So that leaves us with Kaberle, Diaz and Weber.

First choice for most fans would be Kaberle, but with interest in him bordering on slim-to-none, the Canadiens are in the same boat with Kaberle as they are with Markov. If they want to move them, they are going to have prove to other GMs around the league they're worth the risk. There's also the side of things where management is just a touch curious as to what a healthy Markov and Kaberle could add to their lineup. Though this sure isn't five years ago, there is optimism out there that these over-the-hill'ers have something left in the tank.

Moving beyond the two veteran question marks, that leaves us with a Swiss dilemma, Weber or Diaz?

Comparing the two, though Weber has been around the Habs longer, he is still younger than Diaz. Yet, for Diaz's part, his rookie season was intriguing as he showed that he was by no means out of his element. Being the older of the pair, the benefit Diaz may have over Weber (as far as the Habs are concerned) is experience. With far more professional games under his belt before he came to Montreal, Diaz may be a more natural fit with the Canadiens current blue line.

There is also the fact that Weber has yet to come close to what was expected of him. Still bursting with potential, his tentative play thus far has not secured him a role in Montreal. If anything, he has hung around by virtue of injuries and trades. Needless to say, of all the dmen coming to camp, it would seem he will have the most to prove.

If he can't out-perform any of the other (soon to be) seven signed defenders, chances are he's out of town. He won't be shipped back to the Bulldogs, so that leaves him hanging in the wind as Bergevin's most likely piece of trade bait.

Of course, in a shortened season like the one set to kick off, there is always the chance they keep all 8. But with guys like Commodore, Tinordi or Beaulieu at the Habs disposal, would it even make sense to keep a guy like Weber in the fold?

What do you think, Diaz or Weber?


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