Can he retire and forfit his salary, and then we hire him back in a Player Development Role with Lecavalier at the same amount of money? Dirty as hell, I know. But is there rules preventing it?
He is holding his linemates back. 10th in icetime and -23 talks a lot. We need to limit his icetime to Pezzetta level 7:47 next season.Given how shitty our forwards are, at this point he's really not holding anyone back, keep him for next year as a 4th liner.
SEASON | INITIAL BASE SALARY | INITIAL CAP HIT | SIGNING BONUS | BUYOUT COST | POST-BUYOUT EARNINGS | SAVINGS | CAP HIT (
|
2024-25 | $9,000,000 | $6,500,000 | $0 | $2,166,667 | $2,166,667 | $6,833,333 | -$333,333 |
2025-26 | $6,500,000 | $6,500,000 | $0 | $2,166,667 | $2,166,667 | $4,333,333 | $2,166,667 |
2026-27 | $4,000,000 | $6,500,000 | $0 | $2,166,667 | $2,166,667 | $1,833,333 | $4,666,667 |
2027-28 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,166,667 | $2,166,667 | -$2,166,667 | $2,166,667 |
2028-29 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,166,667 | $2,166,667 | -$2,166,667 | $2,166,667 |
2029-30 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,166,667 | $2,166,667 | -$2,166,667 | $2,166,667 |
I don't see any contracts we would even buy out. If Armia hadn't rebounded he'd be the only candidate, now he's likely to get a decent deadline haul. Add in the fact that none of the AHL forwards look ready except Roy and no great forward prospects are coming in. We don't need the roster space. Not even sure Ylonen is back next season.There's no point in buying him out. We aren't ready to contend anyways so may as well just keep him on the roster. We'll see what the situation looks like at the end of next season but I fully expect him to be here to start the year
He’s been playing well to end the season, good for him. It’s something like 4 pts in his last 4 games (2g, 2a).
I would like to see him prosper elsewhere than Montreal. I believe he can not be traded; to be serviceable with a 6M cap hit, he needs to be able to get 20g/30a or some other 50+pts combination.
I think I would like to see him bought out and land in Vancouver on the cheap. They will need cheap production and I think Gallagher if healthy can deliver 15g/15a. Habs can do better than that for cheaper. Just need the roster spot.
What do you think?
Edit: Cap penalty for buyout
SEASON INITIAL BASE SALARY INITIAL CAP HIT SIGNING BONUS BUYOUT COST POST-BUYOUT EARNINGS SAVINGS CAP HIT ( MTL)2024-25 $9,000,000 $6,500,000 $0 $2,166,667 $2,166,667 $6,833,333 -$333,333 2025-26 $6,500,000 $6,500,000 $0 $2,166,667 $2,166,667 $4,333,333 $2,166,667 2026-27 $4,000,000 $6,500,000 $0 $2,166,667 $2,166,667 $1,833,333 $4,666,667 2027-28 $0 $0 $0 $2,166,667 $2,166,667 -$2,166,667 $2,166,667 2028-29 $0 $0 $0 $2,166,667 $2,166,667 -$2,166,667 $2,166,667 2029-30 $0 $0 $0 $2,166,667 $2,166,667 -$2,166,667 $2,166,667
I forgot about retained salary. I guess that’s always an option. I don’t see him staying in Montreal. With Armia picking up his game, you can’t have both of them and compete really well in this league.If I'm Hughes I would wait a year as after next season when he makes 9M, he'll be owed 10.5M over the last 2. At a 3.25M cap hit I do think you might be able to move him if he can keep this up for another year. Over the last 3 he's had 26 goals in 165 games so over 82 that's 13 goals. So a 4th liner on a playoff team he might be of some interest but it would be a risk of course that he doesn't get injured with his style of play and he'll be 32 next month.
I forgot about retained salary. I guess that’s always an option. I don’t see him staying in Montreal. With Armia picking up his game, you can’t have both of them and compete really well in this league.
who's competing? The Habs have been among the worst teams in the league the last 2 years so another year of Gallagher/Armia won't matter but Armia shouldn't even be a thought as who cares since he's a UFA after next season.
That’s what im saying. I want them to compete next year. Not making the playoffs next year would be really unsatisfying. I think they tanked enough.
There are 3 reasons to buy a guy outIf the Habs want to make another splash at the draft, they should be open to buying him out. Gallagher is making the money of a 2nd line RW? Do we really want to keep him in our top9 at 6M a season?
If the Habs have no intention to add at forward, then of course keep him.
I don't know where Armia comes in. Armia doesn't play the same style, doesn't make as much money, and actually does some positive stuff when he's not scoring. Armia is having one of his better seasons, no need to dump on him.I forgot about retained salary. I guess that’s always an option. I don’t see him staying in Montreal. With Armia picking up his game, you can’t have both of them and compete really well in this league.
Makes sense from a pure cap savings perspective. In the meantime, he is not a toxic asset as he continues to play with intensity game in and game out and has leadership qualities and intangibles that can be a positive for a young team. Of course, he's overpaid for what he brings but it's not as if his spot is absolutely needed right now.This time next year, a buy out starts to make more sense (but expiring deals alleviate the cap urgency).
My bet is that we'll see buy-out or LTIR in the summer of '26.
Until then, he'll continue to be a ridiculously expensive bottom 6 player... Fingers crossed his game doesn't regress even further
hopefully retire early