Salary Cap: How will HuGo use our Cap Surplus Next Season?

Steve Shutt

Don't Poke the Bear
May 31, 2007
1,734
983
With Drouin (5.5M), Dadonov (5M), Byron (3.4) and Monahan (6.375M) coming off the books next season and the cap rising around 1M to 83.5M it looks like Hughes and Gorton will have some cap room (21M) to weaponize. (Note: I'm assuming Price is done and remains on LTIR the rest of his career)

Guessing Caufield (7M), Pezzetta (900K), Richard (900k), and Harris (1.5M) will eat up 10M leaving us with 11-12M. Would you prefer to see him go after:

1) Free Agents who can help the team win next year (i.e. Pastrnak, Dumba, Killorn, etc)
2) Free Agents on short term deals that can be flipped at the Deadline (i.e. like Klingberg this season)
3) Take on some short term bad contracts in exchange for prospects/picks (i.e. Monahan)
4) Hold on to the cap space and let the team's play determine if we buy or take on cap dumps closer to the deadline
5) Some other approach
 
Last edited:

MarkovsKnee

Global Moderator
Nov 21, 2007
52,214
63,631
Toronto
It'll be the last year where we can benefit from the cap rising only $1m, as it is expected to rise quite a bit in the following years. Hopefully, Montreal can take advantage of that.

Another Monahan type trade would be perfect.

Hopefully, Caufield is signed $7.5m x 8 years.
We can definitely afford Dubois too.
 

BargainBinSpecial

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
2,504
1,290
Possible UFAs? Safe to say with the rebuilding mode going full scale, close to none will sign here. HuGo should prioritize on loading up on picks by taking on cap dumps. I hear Tampa is in trouble again. Call them up and ask for another first along with Seabrook, although he can be placed on LTIR. So, bad example but you never know. There are plenty of other close to finished players with 1 or 2 year high cap hits remaining around the league.
 

Steve Shutt

Don't Poke the Bear
May 31, 2007
1,734
983
Possible UFAs? Safe to say with the rebuilding mode going full scale, close to none will sign here. HuGo should prioritize on loading up on picks by taking on cap dumps. I hear Tampa is in trouble again. Call them up and ask for another first along with Seabrook, although he can be placed on LTIR. So, bad example but you never know. There are plenty of other close to finished players with 1 or 2 year high cap hits remaining around the league.
I heard Sens are looking to move Zaitsev (2022-23 & 2023-24 @4.5) which fits with option #3
 

morhilane

Registered User
Feb 28, 2021
6,507
8,519
Habs are better keeping that cap space to get paid for eating salaries instead of going UFAs signing already (unless it's a 1 year term to trade them at the tld like Chicago did this year). A few teams are in big trouble with the cap probably only going up by 1m since they signed/extended players thinking it was going to be more.

Also, the team willl suck even more next season since it will have even more kids on it...
 

jrom

Registered User
Mar 28, 2022
1,915
4,131
I heard Sens are looking to move Zaitsev (2022-23 & 2023-24 @4.5) which fits with option #3

Ideally we could use that cap space to retain in 3-teams trade so we don’t have to actually dress up the deadwood (like Dadonov)
 

Benstheman

Registered User
Nov 20, 2014
6,701
2,866
I heard Sens are looking to move Zaitsev (2022-23 & 2023-24 @4.5) which fits with option #3
If we trade Edmundson, we can take on Zaitsev’s contract.

If we can get a 2nd + 3rd for Edmundson and get Sens early 2nd to take on this contract, this could be worth taking a shot.
 
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Milhouse40

Registered User
Aug 19, 2010
22,113
24,690
Holding all the cards.

Hughes will have this ton of money available.
Tons of picks, Tons of prospects. Tons of roster players.

That means, if a team wants to make a big move with big names for any kind of reason, then the Habs are at the top of the list of possible trade partners.

Using that cap space for eating bad contract is an option but it would be last resort for me.
 

WinterLion

Registered User
Oct 1, 2017
5,260
5,252
We are going to be crap again next year. I want the kids to play. So maybe options #2 & 3
 

Scriptor

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
7,810
4,780
With Drouin (5.5M), Dadonov (5M), Byron (3.4) and Monahan (6.375M) coming off the books next season and the cap rising around 1M to 83.5M it looks like Hughes and Gordin will have some cap room (21M) to weaponize. (Note: I'm assuming Price is done and remains on LTIR the rest of his career)

Guessing Caufield (7M), Pezzetta (900K), Richard (900k), and Harris (1.5M) will eat up 10M leaving us with 11-12M. Would you prefer to see him go after:

1) Free Agents who can help the team win next year (i.e. Pastrnak, Dumba, Killorn, etc)
2) Free Agents on short term deals that can be flipped at the Deadline (i.e. like Klingberg this season)
3) Take on some short term bad contracts in exchange for prospects/picks (i.e. Monahan)
4) Hold on to the cap space and let the team's play determine if we buy or take on cap dumps closer to the deadline
5) Some other approach
Who is this Gordin and are we to expect that Hughes will trade with him because Both have similar cap space?
 

Whalers Fan

Go Habs!
Sep 24, 2012
4,002
3,736
Plymouth, MI
Habs are better keeping that cap space to get paid for eating salaries instead of going UFAs signing already (unless it's a 1 year term to trade them at the tld like Chicago did this year). A few teams are in big trouble with the cap probably only going up by 1m since they signed/extended players thinking it was going to be more.

Also, the team willl suck even more next season since it will have even more kids on it...
The kids have been the team's best players this season. Replacing more deadwood with youth next season may have a similar effect.
 

Scriptor

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
7,810
4,780
Since I don't believe that refusing to grant assets onto the roster as we focus, tunnel-vision, strictly on accumulating draft picks, all in the hopes of tanking another year or two is the only way to enact a rebuild -- its definitely an unimaginative fan's only way of doing so, though -- I would look at UFAs or trade targets if the player is established, still young, productive and skilled.

Dubois, at age 24, would be a legitimate trade target (in the offseason) when trades of that size are more feasible, but he would also become an interesting UFA target if he is available the following offseason after freshly turning 26.

7 years for a 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 year old, talented C with size and skill may be one of the best UFA signings that can be made. You get all the prime years from the player's career.

Keller, at 24, is also a prime trade target, undersized but fleet-footed and able to score or set up plays from either wing...

It gets trickier when it comes to Ds. A little older D can still be a UFA target, as can a little older D in a trade, one that already has a contract with term.

Montreal needs a legitimate top-4, RHD that can play on the top pairing to stabilize the back end.

As always, Cs and Ds that can become party of our core going forward are always priorities, even if drafting some should not be overlooked either.

Any move that helps the club should be considered. opportunities may arise this year, or in the offseason, that won't be there next year or next offseason.

Rebuilding is a lengthy process that should involve all avenues to improve your roster. It's not a waiting game to get slightly better picks and a sudden all out campaign that magically transforms your roster overnight into a Cup-contender.

Lots of fans are limiting their approach to rebuilding with unrealistic expectations.
 

morhilane

Registered User
Feb 28, 2021
6,507
8,519
The kids have been the team's best players this season. Replacing more deadwood with youth next season may have a similar effect.
The kids will give more efforts and start the season well, but at some point they won't have the experience and endurance to keep up with the better teams over a full season. It's already happening this year with the rookies.
 
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CHwest

Talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling.
May 24, 2011
3,509
4,601
With Drouin (5.5M), Dadonov (5M), Byron (3.4) and Monahan (6.375M) coming off the books next season and the cap rising around 1M to 83.5M it looks like Hughes and Gorton will have some cap room (21M) to weaponize. (Note: I'm assuming Price is done and remains on LTIR the rest of his career)

Guessing Caufield (7M), Pezzetta (900K), Richard (900k), and Harris (1.5M) will eat up 10M leaving us with 11-12M. Would you prefer to see him go after:

1) Free Agents who can help the team win next year (i.e. Pastrnak, Dumba, Killorn, etc)
2) Free Agents on short term deals that can be flipped at the Deadline (i.e. like Klingberg this season)
3) Take on some short term bad contracts in exchange for prospects/picks (i.e. Monahan)
4) Hold on to the cap space and let the team's play determine if we buy or take on cap dumps closer to the deadline
5) Some other approach
1. nope
2. nope
3. yes
4. maybe
5. Stay the course, suck it up buttercups, we are going somewhere.
 

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