The Montreal Canadiens could be on the verge of making a splash leading up to the start of the season. In particular, a cap-clearing trade could open the door for a big move this week.
According to a report from Marco D’Amico at RG Media, the Habs could be looking to trade Carey Price’s contract as soon as this week. The report details how the Canadiens will pay out a $5.5 million bonus to Price.
Once the bonus is paid out, Price will only be owed about $2 million in spite of his contract’s $10.5 million book value. Moving Price’s contract will allow the Canadiens to get under the salary cap ceiling.
At the moment, the Habs are about $6 million over the cap. By clearing Price’s contract off the books, the Canadiens will slide under the cap and have some room left over to maneuver. The talk throughout the summer has been that the club is looking to add a top-six centre.
Now, Canadiens fans should be realistic about the possibility of a major trade. The trade market is at a standstill at the moment. But it may not be that way for too long. As camps open, teams will be assessing what they have.
The teams that feel they don’t have much of a shot at the playoffs could sell off quickly. That thought is hardly new. However, it’s something that will bubble to the surface by Thanksgiving. Some teams will be motivated to tank early as the 2026 NHL Draft is believed to be one of the deepest in a long time. Plus, there’s a long list of clubs salivating at the thought of landing Gavin McKenna next June.
Canadiens looking to land a centre, if available
The Canadiens’ biggest target is a top-six centre. The market, as it stands, is devoid of such players. The Canadiens have sought to pull off a trade involving a centre this summer. Unfortunately, teams are holding on to their top centres.
Meanwhile, free agents like John Tavares and Matt Duchene never hit the market. That situation prevented the Canadiens from dipping their toes into the free-agent seas. Thus, the Canadiens will be biding their time for a top-six centre to become available.
That approach may force the Habs to wait for a couple of months into the season. Some reports have also suggested that Montreal could be willing to add a winger instead of a centre. That move may seem more feasible as numerous teams could be selling much sooner than expected.
Most eyes are focused on impending rebuilds in Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Boston. The Bruins already held a fire sale last season. But they still have a couple of interesting players to move. The Penguins have high-value targets in Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. As for the Predators, they may still cling to their playoff hopes. But if things go south quickly, they could ship out as many contracts as possible this upcoming season.
Ultimately, Canadiens fans should keep an eye out for Carey Price’s contract to be moved as soon as this week. That move will be the precursor for bigger news to come.