THN: Canadiens among three teams in need of a number-one defenseman right now

Earlier yesterday, The Hockey News published an article ranking the number-one centers in the league.

And this morning, my colleague Mathis Therrien gave you a summary of the article, saying that the Habs “may have” a number-one center in Nick Suzuki.

Might have?

Nick Suzuki is in the same category as Jack Hughes and Tim Stützle → https://t.co/0noSEoIB5v

– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) July 20, 2024

That’s already more optimistic than a THN article stipulating that the Habs need a number one defenseman right away.

In fact, according to the popular site, Montreal is on a list of three teams that don’t have a number-one defenseman and need one right now. The Blues and Sharks are the other two teams on the list.

It’s true that in St. Louis and San Jose, defense isn’t their strong point…

(Credit: Daily Faceoff )
(Credit: Daily Faceoff )

But as far as the Habs are concerned, I don’t know why Mike Matheson, who remains underrated, couldn’t be considered a number one defenseman. I understand he’s not a Cale Makar, or a Roman Josi, or an Adam Fox, but he’s a damn good defenseman.

In 2023-2024, he finished the season with 62 points and ranked ninth among all NHL defensemen. One season doesn’t make a career, but in 2023-2024, he was a true number-one defenseman.

The CH’s protégé collected more points than guys like Rasmus Dahlin, Charlie McAvoy, Zach Werenski, Miro Heiskanen, Gustav Forsling, Dougie Hamilton and Morgan Rielly, all guys who they and their teams ranked in the ” Teams with an effective number-one defenseman” category.

I know that points don’t make one defender better than another. And I’m not saying Matheson is better than the guys named above. But to say that he’s not a worthy number-one defender just doesn’t make sense to me. I might have put the number 8 defenseman in the following category: “Teams with perhaps a true number one defenseman”…

Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson are in that category, by the way, which is a bit odd considering their huge 82- and 70-point seasons, respectively.