Team: 2022-23 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 25, 2022

Published: Aug. 25, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

SO. MANY. DEPTH. FORWARDS.

Bergevin really screwed this team in order to try and remain relevant. Now that Price likely won't play again, it has bought us some time so that the rebuild doesn't have to necessarily be accelerated. There are positional needs that need to be filled from outside our organization, including: a starting goaltender (Tristan Jarry, a UFA in 2023 comes to mind), a top RD (less likely but a solid top-4 would be acceptable), and another big young forward (through draft, hopefully a top-5 pick in 2023).

Moving contracts will be difficult, but not all of them will have to be traded, as some will just have to be rode out for one or two seasons or buried in the minors.

There are two different messages that I feel from the management of the Canadiens: not to rush the high end talent (Slafkovsky, Guhle) into a bad situation AND to give the more mature mid-tier prospects a chance as the team doesn't necessarily need to compete. Because of their age and contract clauses, Guhle and Slafkovsky (and Mesar) respectively can play in the AHL if need be. I'm a fan of giving them some pro experience, but would rather them play important roles on a likely competitive Laval Rocket squad than on the Canadiens.

I think that both Justin Barron and Jordan Harris will make the Canadiens come training camp, and I think that picking up a RHD off waivers will be a good move to shelter them. This is not a sleight to Chris Wideman, but if there's a chance to better the D-corps by adding a young and cheap, but skilled and experienced RHD off waivers, they'd be stupid not to.

LTIR rundown:

Depending on his training camp physical, Price will likely never play again and the remaining four years of his contract will be spent on LTIR. I fully expect Paul Byron not to be on the roster to begin the season, and I don't know if he will be able to play at any point either.

Waiver placements:

1. Joel Armia struggles in camp and loses his roster spot to a younger, cheaper, Jesse Ylonen. The three years remaining on Armia's contract and his inconsistency are enough of a deterrent so that teams will not pick him up. He'll be reporting to the Laval Rocket.

2. Mike Hoffman had a bad season, sure. However, the likelihood of the soon-to-be 33 year old Hoffman rebounding are low. He's a one dimensional player, with a high cap hit. If there's someone looking for goal scoring and money isn't a factor (AHEM ARIZONA), he's theirs for the taking. This contract may be bought out at the end of 2022-23, but I'm not holding my breath.

Waiver claims:

1. Ethan Bear looks like the odd man out with the return of Jake Gardiner to the Hurricanes lineup. He may be kept on the roster as a depth defenceman, however, $2.2 million is a relatively expensive healthy scratch.

2. Andrew Hammond is currently on a PTO with the Florida Panthers and requires waivers to be moved off their roster. Should he be signed to a contract, or has a decent camp, Montreal would be silly to not pick him up. If the objective this season is to be bad, then having a goaltending tandem making a combined $2 million wouldn't be a horrible idea.

Trade:

Montreal takes advantage of Vegas' goaltending situation and ships a half salary-retained Jake Allen for a 3rd round pick in 2023 and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2025. The conditional pick becomes a 2025 2nd round pick if Allen re-signs with Vegas or appears in at least 35 games in 2022-23.

Looking Ahead:

There will be a number of players moved by the deadline including Dadonov, Monahan, Drouin and maybe Byron if healthy (all are pending UFAs).

In terms of the 2023 NHL Draft, I think Adam Fantilli would be an attractive option for Montreal considering the recent moves made to bolster the size, speed and skill of the forward group, should the Canadiens have a top-3 pick. Should they have either the 4th or 5th pick, I would have a slight preference for Brayden Yager, but I would not be upset with either Dalibor Dvorsky or Zach Benson. Better yet, maybe we'll make Bedard's dad (a Habs fan since the 70s) a very happy man by drafting his son 1st in 2023.

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