Montreal Canadiens: Five Players That Need To Go

If there ever was a player the Canadiens didn’t need this past offseason, it was Mike Hoffman.

After failing to acquire him at the trade deadline last season, Marc Bergevin managed to snag Hoffman and signed him to a 3 year $13.5 million contract. That’s $4.5 million a year for a winger who will give you 15 to maybe 20 goals at this point in his career and be responsible for the opposing team to score at least 30 of them throughout the year.

Granted, the one time he does work his tail off defensively, it results in a sketchy penalty shot call.

https://twitter.com/HabsHappy/status/1518666202717032449?s=20&t=UgRzVFbmB-8yPw46rgXAgw

There was no reason to sign him then and there’s no reason to keep him now, especially when you’re trying to to instil a system focused on skill and hard work.

Buying him out is feasible as he would count for a $1,166,667 cap penalty but for the next 4 season. You’re still saving a little over $3 million in total salary but if you’re using this buyout on Jonathan Drouin, this option becomes less financially viable.

Some teams might be willing to take on the 32 year old but the Canadiens would have to sell him at a loss. Regardless, i’d rather watch Rafael Harvey-Pinard get some NHL minutes than watch another game of Hoffman coasting for 59 minutes a game.