With the No. 16 pick, the Montreal Canadiens selected steady defenseman Kaiden Guhle. Considered a smooth-skating blueliner, the Hockey News calls Guhle, “an excellent skater who moves the puck well and has a strong, physical component to his game as well. A first-overall pick at the 2018 WHL draft.”
Guhle said after being drafted, “It was a huge honor, this team’s been around for a long time. I’m very pleased to be a part of it.” He said that he wasn’t too worried about being drafted higher than his brother but said he looks forward to playing against players like Sidney Crosby would be a dream come true.
What Kind of Player is Guhle?
Guhle has a get-to-work persona about him. It’s part of what makes him such a steady defenseman. He’s calm, cool and super serious and the Canadiens are hoping that Guhle develops into a great player at the NHL level, using his great size and capitalizing on an amazing year in the WHL last season.
He’s reliable defensively, but he can generate offence when required to. He has a hard shot along with a good first pass and it’s something that allowed him to post 11 goals and 40 points in 64 games last season. He is viewed by many as that guy in the playoffs who will play 25-30 min in the top four and that fans will appreciate. He’s not flashy, but he’s steady.
GM Marc Bergevin said about the pick: “Size, skating range, brings some offensive skill to his game and he’s hard to play against so he checks all the boxes for us.” He mentions his “range” as one of the attributes he likes the most as an attribute.
Next: Edmonton Oilers Select Dylan Holloway No. 14 in 2020 NHL Draft
