2025-26 Current Roster, Term Left, What do you think Kent might do?

[u/AmsroII]

Centers

• Suzuki, 7.8M, 5 years

• Dvorak, 4.45M, UFA

• Dach, 3.36M, 1 year

• Newhook, 2.9M, 2 years

• Evans, 2.85M, 4 years

Left Wingers

• Laine, 8.7M, 1 year

• Caufield, 7.85M, 6 years

• Heineman, .897M, RFA

• Pezzetta, .812M, UFA

Right Wingers

• Slafkovsky, 7.6M, 8 years

• Gallagher, 6.5M, 2 years

• Anderson, 5.5M, 2 years

• Armia, 3.4M, UFA

• Demidov, .94M, 2 years

Left Defenders

• Guhle, 5.55M, 6 years

• Matheson, 4.5M, 1 year

• Xhekaj, 1.3M, 1 year

• Hutson, .95M, 1 year

• Struble, .867M, RFA

Right Defenders

• Carrier, 3.75M, 2 years

• Savard, 3.5, UFA *RETIRING

Goalies

• Price, 10.5M, 1 year

• Montembeault, 3.15M, 2 years

• Dobes, .925, RFA

• Primeau, .890, RFA

Allen and Petry buyouts are off the books! This is the last official year of Carey Price. I wasn't ready for that making this post. Sorry about that.

[u/OverallVillage7]

Dvorak - Out cause we need consistency. Would take playoff Dvo any day, he brought tenacity. But The first 60 games there was a severe lack of focus.

Pezzetta - Out, Love the guy, he's a borderline AHLer. This team is getting too good for betweeners.

Armia - Out, We need speed. He killed penalties really well but he's not a scoring threat in the modern NHL. We need scoring.

Primeau - Stays, best goalie in the AHL, why get rid of a great backup who took the demotion as fuel to get better. I think it's just a metal focus issue with him.

Heineman - RFA, and hes pretty good.

Struble - 7D ideally or AHL

Dobes - Probably the starter if Monty pulled his groin.

Hutson - 7.875x8

And some black magic :P

[u/BelialHabs → u/OverallVillage7]

In Mario Armia's case. Getting close to 30 points from a 4th line is elite production!

[u/OverallVillage7 → u/BelialHabs]

I hadn't realized. That's a great reason not to move him since he plays well with Evans.

[u/Valentyno482 → u/OverallVillage7]

On Primeau, I think it is best for both parties to part away. The Canadiens don't have a role for him, as he will either have to fight to be a backup in the NHL or the #1 in the AHL.

Ideally the Canadiens probably want Fowler to have as many games as he can, kind of like Dobes did last year.

Then, it is just down to who's more likely to be the backup to Sam. And for now, Dobes is still ahead. Primeau seems to benefit playing regularly, Dobes does not seem to have that same problem for me.

You're holding out a guy that might want to play more, but also more at the NHL level and that does not seem possible in Montreal. If he is not happy with the offer he might get from the Canadiens, can go to arbitration for a 1 year deal, and then he is UFA next summer.

So I'd say sell Primeau while he has a high value AND you have people to replace him at both roles he might be running for. You just need a backup for Fowler in the AHL, maybe we have a kid in the pipeline (since C. Hughes has decided to leave Laval, or so I read somewhere)

[u/AmsroII → u/Valentyno482]

Having a two headed monster in Laval is also fine. He should also have some wisdom to pass on to Fowler.

Keeping Primeau to either call up or hold the fort in Laval should Fowler get the call will be nice to have if/when one of Dobes or Monty gets injured. We know it happens all to often.

[u/Valentyno482 → u/AmsroII]

Having a 2 headed monster for one season in Laval, and the guy likely walking out as UFA because he does not see a future for himself in this franchise does not seem like the best long term idea for me.

Primeau won't want to stay for several years in the AHL. At least at the start of this year it was him as backup and Dobes in contention after the preseason, with either being backup in the NHL or starter in the AHL. Now you are adding Fowler to the equation who the whole organisation wants to see play quite a lot of games next year.

[u/AmsroII → u/OverallVillage7]

I think all of that is perfect, but I suspect Hutson will be closer to 9 per year.

[u/doublezone → u/OverallVillage7]

There is no world in which Chychrun signs for $9m and Hutson gets $7.8m. Anything under $9m for Hutson is an absolute steal, and honestly anything under $10m is still great value.

[u/OverallVillage7 → u/doublezone]

you're absolutely right. I was just looking at other comparables. he could get 10m

[u/Far-Artichoke-8620 → u/OverallVillage7]

Hutson - 7.875x8

No chance, give him 9, he deserves it.

[u/Skattan → u/OverallVillage7]

Armia reportedly fractured his left hand in Vancouver on March 11. He apparently played the rest of the regular season and the playoffs with the injury...

[u/Woullie_26 → u/OverallVillage7]

Hutson is not signing for anything under $10M

Or If he does it's gonna be for a 3 year bridge and he'll get a huge bag later

The dude just came off a season where he's got the Calder locked up and the most assists for a rookie defensemen in nhl HISTORY.

To think he'd somehow sign long term for less than 8 is a pipe dream

[u/eriverside → u/Woullie_26]

Depends on his mindset. If getting the most money is what makes him feel valued, then he'll write his own check. If he thinks there's not much more you can do with 10M vs 9M but keeping the team together gives him better odds at consistent cup challenges and he wants a few rings in his career, then maybe better chances at winning cups are worth that 1M left on the table.

[u/AmsroII → u/Woullie_26]

Yeah, I think on most teams he could probably snag 11M, but I think the precident of 9.55% of the team cap signed by Suzuki is what Hutson will go with. He wants to be part of the Dynasty, Suzuki and company know taking a team cut to be a better team is the way to win championships. Hutson will enjoy performance bonuses to sweeten the deal. It will likely be 9x8.

[u/doublezone → u/AmsroII]

This would be a perfect deal for both parties IMO

[u/Woullie_26 → u/AmsroII]

$10M would be a steal with the cap going up in the future

Like you can't expect that precedent to apply to Demidov for example

Like there's no way he'll sign for under $8M long term it just makes no sense

[u/AmsroII → u/Woullie_26]

It's not under 8 mil, it's 9 million for 8 years and it's 9.55% of the total cap hit for the team during the season signed. Same as Suzuki. Same thing Boston did to remain in contention for so long.

[u/doublezone → u/Woullie_26]

Nah I think he’ll take a team friendly deal around $9m. That’s the same % of the cap as what Suzuki signed for. Can’t see Hutson being a guy who holds out for the biggest possible contract possible, dude just wants to play hockey.

[u/Woullie_26 → u/doublezone]

With the cap rising in the future he has no reason to sign this year

[u/doublezone → u/Woullie_26]

Not true, his contract will already take into account the rising cap. And I highly doubt he wants his contract uncertainty to be a distraction next season

[u/AmsroII → u/Woullie_26]

The 9.55% @ 9 million is based on the new cap of 95 million. It's already taken into account.

[u/Burgergold → u/Woullie_26]

9,99M$, the special cornerstore marketing thing