Team: 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Oct. 14, 2020

Published: Oct. 15, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

One free agent still out there that would be a good fit for MTL in my opinion: Haula

He can help the powerplay and he is a strong faceoff guy which would really help with KK as he has not been good on faceoffs so far in his career. He is also from Pori, so it would be pretty neat having Haula, KK, and Armia on the same team, potentially the same line even. Imagine the party in Pori if those guys won the cup together.

If Haula is interested I would move Byron's contract to Ottawa. He was born there, he was clutch against Pittsburgh in playoffs, he is usually good for 20 goals when healthy, kills penalties, and he would be a leader for Ottawa's young team (wears the A in MTL). I gave Ottawa's 5th round pick back and took Gaborik's contract which isn't fully insured to get it done. For MTL, Byron is just the most logical person to trade for cap space.

A cheaper alternative to than Haula to replace Byron could be Kovalchuk.

Sent Weal down to save cap space, also sent Romanov down to start at least which would save a little bit too. Romanov would have to clearly outplay 2 of Mete, Juulsen, and Kulak in camp to make the team in my opinion since they all require waivers and he doesn't. If he does, good on him, I'm just being conservative. I actually hope he wows and plays a top 4 role which wouldn't be all that surprising either. This could potentially allow MTL to trade Kulak.

Lindgren traded to Chicago for a KHL goalie prospect just to move him, Chicago is going with two unproven goalies so they might as well get a 3rd option.

Projected Laval Lineup:

Poehling - Weal - Belzile
Teasdale - Dauphin - Hillis
Khisamutdinov - Vejdemo - Ylonen
Baddock - Lucchini - Alain
Pezzetta - Verbeek

Romanov - Fluery
Ouellet - Brook
Oloffson - Leskinen

Primeau
Demchenko
McNiven

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