That defense is suspect for sure

Why ?

Mete is barely top 4, and Chiarot is definitely not. Needs at least one more top 4 LHD to be good.

this is MTL not CHI
we dont rely on 4 D to play 23-31 minutes like you guys did your last cup run while the bottom 2 pair play 10-13

in MTL all 3 pairs 18-23 minutes a piece
this is Claude Juliens 4 line , 3 pair system with a Tandem Goalie set up that he's run in BOS and in MTL his first time , it only evolves but never changes.

here Kulak and Juulsen at 18 -19 , Chariot and Petry at 20-23 ,Mete and Weber at 18-23 works just fine .
Weber and Petry pick up a few minutes more on special teams as does Kulak and Chariot leaving Mete and Juulsen playing primarily 5v5.

it would be amazing if we had the skill evenly placed on both LD and RD to pull off a top 4 but that's just not the case since 1996 give or take a year .

that LHD you guys gave us with that pick from the Weise /Danault trade will be up after this April/May depending on how far his team makes it.
given they were underdogs i doubt they repeat given Markov's team was swept in a similar situation after winning the Championship on a team that re-signed all its players .

Romanov is a legit top 4 wherever he goes because he's just as dangerous defensively laying out Scott Stevens level hits without having to catch players with their head down to out power them . watching 6'3-6'4 players that tower over him line up a hit and end up hurting themselves as they bounce of Romanov as if they hit a brick wall is mind boggling.

Mete-Weber
Romanov-Petry
Chariot -Juulsen

this gives MTL 3/4 players who will show up every night and hit/check while also giving us 4 players who can contribute offensively .
Juulsen is playing for his spot in MTL as if he cant show he can step up into a 2nd pair role by TDL its time to give Brook or Juulsen a shot as both could arguably have passed him on the depth chart .

Kulak is better than Mete & Chiarot

so was Reilly his first impression in MTL after the TDL
doesnt mean he'll repeat the success . its why they both got similar contracts .

we'll flip him like Morrow for a 4th or 5th .
he's not a long term solution

Reilly never been good defensively & isn’t 6’2 and doesn’t win is battle on the board like Kulak

It'll have to wait for Romanov. Unless we trade Tatar or Drouin for one.