3 former Canadiens who Kent Hughes should not bring back in 2024

Tyler Toffoli, F

Over two years in Montreal, Tyler Toffoli logged an outstanding 37 goals in 89 contests and 70 points total. He also recently enjoyed a pair of impressive seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24, most of which he spent in New Jersey before the Devils moved him to the Winnipeg Jets. 

With 67 goals and 128 points in 161 games played since 2022-23 began, it’s clear Toffoli still has a lot to offer, and of the three players on this list, Canadiens fans would more likely want him in Quebec. He’s still a top-six player in this league, and there is no doubt Toffoli’s presence would parlay the Habs into becoming a better scoring team. 

But the major issue with Toffoli is what his overall salary may look like, despite heading into his age-32 season. He still performs well enough for front offices to overpay for him, but the Canadiens likely wouldn’t have the cap space should they sign players like Juraj Slafkovsky and other youngsters to extensions either over the summer or during the 2024-25 season. 

Overall, acquiring someone like Toffoli would be great for the Canadiens, but there’s a good chance it would come at the expense of catering to the younger players financially. If the Habs had all of their cornerstones locked into deals, I would say, ‘go ahead,’ but that’s not the case just yet. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)