Free to play in Free Agency

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Created by: jonh514

Team: 2024-25 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: May 22, 2024

Published: May 22, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Description

Habs need to make a few cap dump moves that will free them up to play in free agency without using offseason LTIR.

Price is unfortunately immovable due to his signing bonus numbers which are still being paid in 2024 & 2025. That means the Habs need to"start" the season with ~77M in cap or less, and then get Price on the LTIR and bring in all the waivers exempt players. At least they need to do this if they want to build cap space throughout the year and have available space around the trade deadline so they can either acquire players, or sell cap space for assets.

The two players I think are the most likely to move, are Savard & Evans.

With the stellar play of Chris Tanev in the playoffs, teams are reminded of the value of stay-at-home defenders in the playoffs. Savard can make a big impact for a playoff team, and entering the last year of his deal, he's a good fit for a lot of teams.

Evans is a really good bottom 6 player who is worth more than his 1.7M cap hit. He's great on faceoffs and on the PK, and can bring some decent auxiliary offense. He would be valuable to any playoff team since they always need depth at center.

Notes: Habs also put Anderson on waivers, not to get him picked up, but to move enough cap on paper to start the season with Price off of LTIR. If someone bites, so much the better.

This essentially gives the Habs 11M which they "could" spend in UFA to acquire a few players to help Dach, Newhook, Roy, and Armia fill out the middle 6.

How would you spend it?

Free Agent Signings

RFA		YEARS	CAP HIT
Barron, Justin		2	$1,500,000
Xhekaj, Arber		2	$1,500,000

Trades

MTL

2024 2nd round pick (CAR)
2024 3rd round pick (CAR)

Additional Details:

Fair compensation for Savard based on the Tanev trade

CAR

Savard, David

Additional Details:

Savard is not at all the type of player Carolina would typically acquire. Advanced stats do not like David Savard. But he has size, blocks shots, knows how to win in the playoffs, and can maybe be the sort of player the Canes look for to help them "get over the hump" in the playoffs.

Does not need to be Carolina, can be any team for this type of return

MTL

2026 2nd round pick (COL)

Additional Details:

I would like to get this sort of comp for Evans. I feel he is worth it, though others may disagree.

COL

Evans, Jake

Additional Details:

Bottom 6 center who can also jump in on RW if needed.

Does not need to be Colorado, but they seem like as good a candidate as any.

Retained Salary Transactions

Jeff Petry: $2,343,750 (50%)
Jake Allen: $1,925,000 (50%)

Draft	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
2024
2025
2026

ROSTER

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

EMBED

TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	OVERAGES	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
22	$87,700,000	$67,588,750	$1,022,500	$4,727,500	$20,111,250

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Caufield, Cole $7,850,000$7,850,000 LW, RW UFA - 7	Suzuki, Nick $7,875,000$7,875,000 C UFA - 6	Slafkovsky, Juraj $950,000$950,000 ($3,500,000$4M) RW, LW RFA - 1
	Dach, Kirby $3,362,500$3,362,500 C, RW RFA - 2
Roy, Joshua $835,000$835,000 LW, RW RFA - 2	Newhook, Alex $2,900,000$2,900,000 C, LW RFA - 3	Armia, Joel $3,400,000$3,400,000 RW, LW UFA - 1
Anderson, Josh $5,500,000$5,500,000 RW, LW M-NTC UFA - 3	Dvorak, Christian $4,450,000$4,450,000 C M-NTC UFA - 1	Gallagher, Brendan $6,500,000$6,500,000 RW, LW M-NTC, NMC UFA - 3

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Matheson, Michael $4,875,000$4,875,000 LD M-NTC UFA - 2	Guhle, Kaiden $863,333$863,333 ($420,000$420K) LD/RD RFA - 1	Montembeault, Samuel $3,150,000$3,150,000 G UFA - 3
Hutson, Lane $950,000$950,000 ($750,000$750K) LD RFA - 2	Kovacevic, Johnathan $766,667$766,667 RD UFA - 1	Primeau, Cayden $890,000$890,000 G RFA - 1
Xhekaj, Arber $1,500,000$1,500,000 LD/RD RFA	Barron, Justin $1,500,000$1,500,000 RD RFA
Struble, Jayden $867,500$867,500 ($57,500$58K) LD RFA - 1	Harris, Jordan $1,400,000$1,400,000 LD/RD RFA - 1

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)
Harvey-Pinard, Rafaël $1,100,000$1,100,000 LW, RW RFA - 1		Price, Carey $10,500,000$10,500,000 G NMC UFA - 2
Pezzetta, Michael $812,500$812,500 LW, RW UFA - 1

May 22 at 8:13 a.m.

vikhodush

Joined: May 2017

Posts: 7,309

Likes: 3,578

Only problem is Savard isn’t that good. Can’t use a comp of a player that is good for a bad player. Nobody giving you that for Savard, least of all the canes.

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May 22 at 8:17 a.m.

jonh514

Thread Starter

HuGo is a Boss GM

Joined: Dec. 2021

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Quoting: vikhodush

Only problem is Savard isn’t that good. Can’t use a comp of a player that is good for a bad player. Nobody giving you that for Savard, least of all the canes.

Alright. I think your opinion is a contrarian one, but I respect you for sharing it openly!

I disagree sir!

May 22 at 8:20 a.m.

Just_A_Guess

Joined: Apr. 2021

Posts: 5,260

Likes: 3,486

Likely that we retain on a Savard deal but that's about right for him, regardless what the ill informed might have to say about him.

I'd actually try to retain on Dvorak and move him over Evans (or retaining on a Savard deal) but I see your reasoning.

With all the cap space you're projecting we could either be trying to spend in FA or look to take 1 year salaries for compensation for 1 more season. Give some of the kids/prospects the some time in the N and further their development. Imo one more year of growth then spread the wings and let 'em fly.

May 22 at 8:23 a.m.

Subbanator7667

Subbanator

Joined: Jul. 2017

Posts: 7,857

Likes: 3,682

Quoting: vikhodush

Only problem is Savard isn’t that good. Can’t use a comp of a player that is good for a bad player. Nobody giving you that for Savard, least of all the canes.

We literally see Dmen like Savard get moved for this return all the time. Brett Kulak, Marco Scandella, Andrew Peeke and even Ryan McDonough just happened.

I get that Carolina in your opinion wouldn't do this but this is the price a team will pay since it's literally a price paid a bunch of times by contenders

drambui, jonh514 and habs_trade_churner_50 liked this.

May 22 at 8:24 a.m.

TJTwolf

Joined: Jan. 2017

Posts: 9,986

Likes: 4,808

Avs decline. They're unlikely to spend that on a 4C and if they do spend that kind of money in the bottom 6 they'd be more likely to re-sign Trenin and keep their 2nd....to whit....they also won't likely be giving up one of the few draft assets they have left for Evans. Whether he's worth a 2nd is debatable but not to the Avs imo. Decent player is not in dispute and the Habs might get it from somebody. He'd also almost certainly require more money the following season and the Avs wouldn't have anything spare with the likes of Rants, Georgie and LOC to re-sign ahead of him.

jonh514 liked this.

May 22 at 8:26 a.m.

jonh514

Thread Starter

HuGo is a Boss GM

Joined: Dec. 2021

Posts: 7,314

Likes: 3,203

Quoting: TJTwolf

Avs decline. They're unlikely to spend that on a 4C and if they do spend that kind of money in the bottom 6 they'd be more likely to re-sign Trenin and keep their 2nd to whit....they also won't likely be giving up one of the few draft assets they have left for Evans. Whether he's worth a 2nd is debatable but not to the Avs imo. Decent player is not in dispute and the Habs might get it from somebody. He'd also almost certainly require more money the following season and the Avs wouldn't have anything spare with the likes of Rants, Georgie and LOC to re-sign ahead of him.

Fair analysis, thanks for sharing!

TJTwolf liked this.

May 22 at 8:27 a.m.

vikhodush

Joined: May 2017

Posts: 7,309

Likes: 3,578

Quoting: Subbanator7667

Maybe at TDL with half retention. Offseason at full cap hit ain’t happening.

Fox_Czar_Cup liked this.

May 22 at 8:44 a.m.

jonh514

Thread Starter

HuGo is a Boss GM

Joined: Dec. 2021

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Quoting: vikhodush

Maybe at TDL with half retention. Offseason at full cap hit ain’t happening.

Maybe Carolina should continue to do the same thing and expect different results. Let the analytics group make all the personnel decisions. Maybe it will work next year?

I really believe that there is no analytics stat for how hard a player is going to compete in the playoffs. How they are going to react to being cross checked, slew footed, speared, and just plain punched in the face.

The Hurricanes could use some of what David Savard has, even if you don't believe it.

May 22 at 8:45 a.m.

Xqb15a

Joined: Aug. 2020

Posts: 11,821

Likes: 9,400

I don’t think you’re getting a 2nd for Evans in the off season, but it’s probably possible near the dead line

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May 22 at 8:47 a.m.

#10

jonh514

Thread Starter

HuGo is a Boss GM

Joined: Dec. 2021

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Quoting: Xqb15a

I don’t think you’re getting a 2nd for Evans in the off season, but it’s probably possible near the dead line

Thanks. I would add a 4th or something like that on the Habs side to get it done sooner if possible. I hear you, but some teams may have an opening at 3C where they feel Evans can slot in at a bargain.

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May 22 at 8:54 a.m.

#11

Xqb15a

Joined: Aug. 2020

Posts: 11,821

Likes: 9,400

Quoting: jonh514

I don’t disagree, and personally I like Evans game but teams tight to the cap would rather pay more at the deadline than to use up that space in the off season potentially limiting themselves.

jonh514 and TJTwolf liked this.

May 22 at 9:13 a.m.

#12

jonh514

Thread Starter

HuGo is a Boss GM

Joined: Dec. 2021

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Quoting: Xqb15a

I don’t disagree, and personally I like Evans game but teams tight to the cap would rather pay more at the deadline than to use up that space in the off season potentially limiting themselves.

True, but a team looking for a player like Evans will often overpay in free agency both in cap and term. In this case one of those teams could "audition the player" at lower cap and then resign him at their leisure.

I see players get way too much money in free agency every year, which is why I feel this could happen in the offseason.

May 22 at 9:24 a.m.

#13

vikhodush

Joined: May 2017

Posts: 7,309

Likes: 3,578

Quoting: jonh514

looks like I struck a nerve! I’m happy to keep running it back with a strong team and getting more cracks at winning a cup. Definitely tweaks can be made but hockey playoffs are a crapshoot so yeah, I’m gonna say don’t blow it all up and fall down to the Habs level! Cheers bud.

May 22 at 9:33 a.m.

#14

Subbanator7667

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Joined: Jul. 2017

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Quoting: vikhodush

Maybe at TDL with half retention. Offseason at full cap hit ain’t happening.

Buddy he only makes 3.2 million, let's not pretend that's a high cap hit. The league average is like 3.4 or something, he won't even need retention to get a 2nd round pick. Especially the off season where teams actually have more cap space than the deadline

May 22 at 9:48 a.m.

#15

jonh514

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HuGo is a Boss GM

Joined: Dec. 2021

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Quoting: vikhodush

Struck a nerve? Why, because I shared my perspective on why Carolina cannot get over the hump? I don't understand how you "got there" based on my last comment.

All good though, enjoy spinning your wheels!

May 22 at 10:42 a.m.

#16

vikhodush

Joined: May 2017

Posts: 7,309

Likes: 3,578

Quoting: Subbanator7667

Ok buddy. Excited to see him get this return this summer.

May 22 at 10:46 a.m.

#17

vikhodush

Joined: May 2017

Posts: 7,309

Likes: 3,578

Quoting: jonh514

Don’t get so worked up, it’s not that big of a deal! I don’t think Savard is the missing piece but if you do more power to you!

If only we had Savard we’d be playing tonight I’m sure!!

Fox_Czar_Cup liked this.

May 22 at 11:46 a.m.

#18

Fox_Czar_Cup

Joined: Apr. 2016

Posts: 8,296

Likes: 1,501

Generously buttering a crouton won't make it more edible. Like you, we'd all rather spend that cap on non-dumps/spares

May 22 at 12:39 p.m.

#19

Subbanator7667

Subbanator

Joined: Jul. 2017

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Quoting: vikhodush

Ok buddy. Excited to see him get this return this summer.

Look to next deadline, Habs still need him, for now

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