The Montreal Canadiens thought they had signed a shutdown defender when they inked Karl Alzner in 2017. However, there were signs during his last season with the Washington Capitals that he was slowing down and that has proven to be true.
Alzner was the 5th overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft. He was never a big point producer but played seven straight seasons without missing a game once he established himself as a full-time NHL player. He was a solid shutdown partner for offensive-minded defensemen like Mike Green, John Carlson and Matt Niskanen over the years.