Something Different -- with a bit of help from The Athletic

Team: 2019-20 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: May 18, 2019

Published: May 21, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

FIVE DEALS:

1) The Appleton and Perreault deal is ripped from The Athletic

2) Callahan seems a reasonable trade for lifting nearly $6M off a division rival;

3) Reimer is also largely from The Athletic, though theirs didn't foresee the Tampa pick being available. If FLA is fishing for Panarin and Bobrovski, whether they pick 12th or 26th doesn't make much difference;

4) Vancouver is loaded with cap space and could use two middle-six forwards. Meanwhile Juolevi is a high-risk play for the Habs. Juolevi has potential to go either way and there is clear concern he might never make it all the way to the NHL. By adding Sekera, the Habs have bought a little time to let Juolevi mature. The only question is really whether Vancouver thinks it's in a good place in the weakened West or wants to take 2-3 more years to rebuild. Habs could probably get a similar deal(s) from the NYR, PHI, AZ and CGY.

5) Edmonton rids itself of another Chiarelli legacy contract and frees up $2.5M (more if Alzner is sent down) and could get a decent pick if Puljujarvi finds his game in Montreal. Habs gamble that Puljujarvi can click with Kotkeniemi.

Habs would have roughly $10.5M in cap space to give raises to Domi, Mete and Appleton in 2020. In 2021, when Gallagher, Tatar, Danault and Kotkeniemi all come looking for raises, Perrault, Weise, Reimer, Sekera and Petry are all coming off contracts. Assuming Romanov and Brook are ready to roll by then, Habs cap won't be a problem.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.