The Montreal Canadiens should save the cap space they’ve gained

Cap space hasn’t been an issue for the Montreal Canadiens, but considering what’s coming in the future, holding on to it will make the difference.

When it comes to financial problems and cap crunches, the Montreal Canadiens have been the team with the binoculars looking out at the rest of the NHL’s chaos. Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and to some extent, Tampa Bay Lightning have been continuously stressing on how to get everything on their roster to fit financially.

The Lightning had to move put Ryan Callahan on long-term injured reserve and move him to Ottawa while the Leafs and Golden Knights helped each other out by the former taking on David Clarkson‘s contract. And while all this was going on, Marc Bergevin and the Habs were sitting pretty with all their players signed and a little over $6 million in cap space left over.

That was a widely discussed topic over the last two starts to the season considering the team’s desire to make the playoffs again. Should Bergevin use the money to add on an impact player?

The Habs have been mocked for it constantly, but Bergevin tried with both Sebastian Aho and Brayden Point to no amount of success. He did use some of the team’s money to bring in Ben Chiarot on a three-year deal, but that hasn’t moved the needle.

It’s been a waiting game ever since, and some have the idea of the Habs being a sleeper heading into the Trade Deadline. There are a number of pending UFAs who could help the team if they’re in the thick of things playoff-wise. The top name, of course, is Taylor Hall.

One thing the Montreal Canadiens need to keep in mind is that this honeymoon era of cap-induced headaches is coming to an end. Unfortunately, it starts with Max Domi.

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It doesn’t look as if the two camps are going to negotiate during the season and will instead wait until the end of the season. It’s the best move for Domi, especially if he duplicates or exceeds the numbers he put up last year. Considering some of the contracts that have been handed out in the last few months, the 24-year-old would be in a good spot to demand more if he puts up 70 points again.

The Montreal Canadiens need to save that cap space for Domi. At the same time, Bergevin may want to keep his windows open with a talent like Hall available on the open market. It would take further roster maneuvering, but it could be the signs of an all-star offseason for the team.

As exciting as it is to see an active team when it comes to player transactions, the Habs must put themselves in a favourable position to handle their business. And right now, that means saving that cap space.

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