Montreal Canadiens: Karl Alzner unlikely to be bought out
By Omar L
Buying out Karl Alzner’s contract has been something disgust at many lengths on Montreal Canadiens fans, but it’s unlikely to happen.
Karl Alzner was the big free agent acquired by the Montreal Canadiens last July. Although he was among the top players available, the contract he ended up signing with the Habs wasn’t well-received. The deal would see him make $4.625 million a year for the next five seasons. But with other suiters out there, Marc Bergevin was forced to pay the extra price.
What made the contract look worse was Alzner’s performance this past season. Touted as being a reliable defenceman with shutdown capabilities, the 29-year-old found himself on the wrong end of a turnover or missed assignment. And unfortunately for the Habs, it was more than a one-time occurrence.
There were bright spots in his year where he looked like the blueliner who manned the Capital’s defence for years. But like a lot of players on the team, Alzner underperformed. He did look better once Noah Juulsen was called up ahead of the Trade Deadline.
Playing with the 20-year-old seemed to stabilize his game a little bit. ‘Comfortable,’ was the best way to describe it and that was something rarely seen from Alzner when he was paired with Jeff Petry.
Either way, once the offseason began, Alzner and buyout were used in the same sentence a lot. With the First Player Buyout Period set for June 15th, many considered Alzner a candidate for one.
We looked at how an Alzner buyout would look for the Montreal Canadiens long-term including the penalties on the team’s cap. Although he’d be off the roster, the ramifications of would sting.
However, Louis Jean has put that option to rest. According to the TVA Sports hockey reporter, the Montreal Canadiens have no interest in buying out Alzner’s contract. The Habs don’t want to give up on him too soon and like what he brings to the locker room.
It makes sense to give Alzner another year to redeem himself. With the weight of his contract, hopefully, he does.
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