Kaiden Guhle admits it's been a long season for him, and he wasn't unhappy to miss the resumption of the World Junior Hockey Championships in August in order to get back into shape and prepare for his jump to the professional ranks.
The defenseman participated in the Montreal Canadiens camp last September. Over the winter, he was named captain of Team Canada and played two games before the tournament was postponed due to high cases of COVID-19. Guhle also played for the Prince Albert Raiders before being traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings. He helped the Oil Kings win the WHL championship and also played in the Memorial Cup.
The Canadiens' first-round pick in 2020, 16th overall, ended his season on June 24. Guhle also suffered a lower-body injury during the Oil Kings' playoff run and then the Memorial Cup.
"I probably would have taken this much time off after that long season (if he hadn't been injured)," Guhle said after the Habs' practice in Buffalo on Saturday. "We wanted to play it safe. I have another long season ahead of me."
Guhle said he started skating again when he arrived in Montreal in early August. The Canadiens decided to be patient with him at the rookie tournament this weekend, and he did not play in the team's first two games, both losses.
The six-foot-two, 205-pound behemoth will finally play Sunday at noon, when the Tricolore's prospects take on the Ottawa Senators. First overall draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky will also return to the Canadiens' lineup after getting the day off in the second game of the tournament.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 18, 2022.
