The Montreal Canadiens are approaching their deadline for signing their pending restricted free agents, or losing them as unrestricted free agents.
Well, they technically don’t have to sign them, but they have until 5:00 PM EST today to extend a qualifying offer to a RFA to keep their rights. A qualifying offer needs to be a legitimate contract extension that at least meets the player’s salary from last season.
It is essentially an offer to keep playing next season under last season’s contract arrangement. The players doesn’t have to agree to it for the team to keep their rights. The two sides can then continue negotiating an extension beyond this evening’s deadline.
The Canadiens will have some tough decisions to make on players like Kale Clague, Joel Teasdale, Nate Schnarr and Sam Montembeault. Will they get a qualifying offer to continue playing here or walk away as a total free agent to sign wherever they please on Wednesday?
We will have to wait and see on those players, but not Corey Schueneman.
The 26 year old left defenceman agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Canadiens today. He will earn $750,000 if he plays at the NHL level, and $350,000 while playing for the Laval Rocket of the AHL.
Last season, the 6’0 and 196 pound defender split time between the two teams, scoring two goals and six points in 24 games for the Canadiens and managing four goals and 11 points in 32 games for the Rocket.
It was Schueneman’s second season in the organization after he scored 12 points in 36 games for the Laval Rocket in the 2020-21 season. He helped the Rocket make a run to the Calder Cup semifinals, playing a top four role and scoring four points in 15 contests.
Schueneman is likely to split next season between the Canadiens and Rocket once again. He is a good veteran player to have for the younger blue liners that will be joining the Rocket this season. He is also a trusted depth defender who can step into the NHL lineup and play reliable minutes as well.
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