It's silly to pay to dump cap while you are sitting on $35M in available space.

Kovacevic for Lavoie has some merit but that's a low percentage play for Montreal.
Armia will likely be bought out to free up a roster spot. He has no trade value and is definitely not worth a retention slot.
Evans is too important to move at this time considering the type of return he would bring in a trade vs his value to the team.

If you look closely, you'll see there are available spots to put players with contracts there.
Armia is a good 4th liner with a big body, the problem is his contract, but at 1,7M its okay.
in my scenario Evans he would bring another center to replace him, plus a third pick, because it frees cap space for a contender.

thank you

LA can't afford that trade even if you retain 50% on Matheson too.

I'm no expert, but I think the title "No more awful contracts" is a somewhat contradictory statement when acquiring Erik Gudbranson.

No one is taking 3+ years of Brendan Gallagher if all Montreal is sending with him is a 1st and 3rd round draft pick.

That's a top 10 draft pick. That would be the highest price paid to salary dump a player in NHL history, Habs don't touch it and other teams would jump at it

Habs don't do any of this.

Kovacevic is worth more than a guy who cleared waivers

LA can't fit that and you would be better to sell Matheson on his own and get a 1st +

Armia is better to just let his contract run out

Habs are absolutely not giving up their top 5 pick just to get rid of Gallagher

Also not giving up a 1st to dump Anderson, while also taking back a bad contract

Cap space means nothing if it isn't being used. Unless you're also proposing a way to fill the roster that requires dumping cap, it is simply unnecessary. Wait until we need the space, when it may cost less.
That's still $23M without the dumps. More money than needed to fill 1-3 spots. Still enough for 2 top line players without sacrificing 1st round picks.

Many underestimate the value Evans brings to the team. He's a reliable 4C (ideally) who takes a lot of responsibility which makes things easier for everyone else, especially young players coming into the lineup. Perhaps Faksa can do that as well, but why make the change (and add cap) if the return is just "meh".

It’s also $19.5m over three years in an era where cap space is extremely tight for a large portion of the league, teams will not jump for one first unless it is a guaranteed franchise player.

Cap is about to skyrocket over the next three years, a team definitely takes a top 10 pick to take Gallagher. Wouldn't be a contender but a cap floor team that needs elite assets takes that deal in a heart beat

We will have to agree to disagree, I don’t think too many owners would be willing to spend $19.5m and only get one 1st round pick back in return.

kings dont need allen and he isnt even worth a 1st let alone a 3rd

Hawks laugh and hang up.

I have to disagree with both of you VERY much. I would take that Gallagher contract for a top 10 pick ALL DAY. For comparisons sake, a 10th overall pick is easily worth more than two Edmonton 1sts, let alone if that pick lands even earlier in the draft order. Plus, Gallagher is, at the very least, serviceable, is familiar with Luke Richardson, and has some leadership qualities and experience, unlike Campbell and his contract. But there would need to be more favorable protections for CHI. If that pick goes top 2 and MTL keeps it, they could easily take steps next season and we end up with a much later pick. I'd say it should be something like "If it's top 2, MTL will receive CHI's 2024 2nd round pick" or something like that.

But I very much doubt Kent Hughes does something like that.

After looking at his buyout numbers, I'm changing my mind on the deal and I'd take it. Cap space is irrelevant the next two seasons and his buyout after that is pretty manageable.

For sure. Also, this would have to be a guaranteed top 10 pick, at some point between the lottery and draft day, and not a TDL deal.

I'd literally revolt if Habs management did this. This straight up looks like you're angry with something and you're carelessly taking it out on this AGM for no reason.

That Gallagher trade is probably worse than any other option you could possibly think of. Buyout, trade with retention, keeping him in the NHL, send him to AHL, etc etc etc. Literally everything makes more sense than this. That Anderson trade also.....

I'm literally trading a worst contract for him then buying him out.

how could the cap skyrocket, we are at recession time or near. You see people exploding their spending on sports?

It's been widely reported that the cap is going to go up by 3 million or more for the next couple years. Players had to pay off the escrow and now it will go up a good amount for the next couple years