A Winning Habit
Fansided

Montreal Canadiens: Let the end of season buyouts begin!

By Omar L

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 07: General manager of the Montreal Canadiens Marc Bergevin addresses the media prior to the NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre on January 7, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 07: General manager of the Montreal Canadiens Marc Bergevin addresses the media prior to the NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre on January 7, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The first player buyout window is open and the Montreal Canadiens may not need to make use of them, but could if it helps long-term.

The word ‘buyout’ is going to be the most appeared word in association with the NHL for the next little bit. Teams can choose to buy out the rest of a player’s contract allowing them to become a free agent and sign elsewhere. Whether Marc Bergevin feels like there’s a player on the Montreal Canadiens worth buying out won’t be known until the end of the window.

Other teams are in more dire straits to do it such as Jori Lehtera with the Philadelphia Flyers or Jason Spezza with the Dallas Stars. The other benefit from buyouts is how teams can capitalize on them. Sometimes a player can have a bad contract, but play in an environment where they were couldn’t succeed.

Perhaps a player in that situation is made available. If the fit is there, the Habs could explore it within reason of course. The New York Rangers chose to buy out the final year of Dan Girardi‘s contract allowing him to go on and sign in Tampa. His deal with the Lightning saw him making less, but he was a valuable asset to that team.

It’ll be interesting to see if anyone worthwhile hits the open market. The Montreal Canadiens don’t have to be all in free agency or this buyout window, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bergevin play through either scenario.

In Case You Missed It

Karl Alzner unlikely to be bought out

Despite being one of the most run names in Capfriendly’s buyout calculator, odds are that the Habs choose to keep him around.

Players to buyout once the window opens

The Montreal Canadiens have options as far as players to part with contractually.

Joni Ikonen undergoes right knee surgery

2017 second-round pick Joni Ikonen will require six months to recover from surgery on his right knee.

Looking back at the team’s buyout history

Montreal has made use of a buyout four times in the least eight years, and this is a revisit of each of those occurrences.

Next: Revisiting the Deslauriers trade

Morning Links

Montreal Canadiens Goalie Carey Price Urges Men To Take Paternity Leave In Dove Men Campaign

Carey Price believes that fathers should have the opportunity to stay home with their kids and is establishing a partnership with Dove Men+Care to share that message.

An overflowing prospect pool would be a good problem to have after the draft, but a problem nonetheless (HEOTP)

The Montreal Canadiens may find themselves in a bit of a mess down the line with the number of draft picks they have this year.

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau retires (RDS)

P.A. Parenteau decides to hang up the skates after 491 NHL games including 56 with the Habs in the 2014-15 seasons.

The last hints of David Fischer … (La Presse)

Former Habs scout had a big influence on the team selection of David Fischer in the first-round of the 2006 NHL Draft.

Home/Habs News