Canadiens exceed salary cap by more than $5 million

During the off-season, NHL clubs are allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10%. The majority of teams struggling to comply with the salary cap take advantage of this.

This is particularly true of the Habs, who have no choice but to do so. After all, in the summer, the Habs have to consider Carey Price’s contract for another three years.

What’s important to know is that the Flannel must work with the knowledge that Price affects the payroll in the summer. The GM could place him on the long-term injured list for the off-season, but for bonus deferral reasons, he’ll try not to.

So, with yesterday’s transaction (Jeff Petry and Casey DeSmith added to the payroll; Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick left), the CH is over the cap by more than five million dollars.

Once again, it’s not the end of the world. After all, the CH is well aware that Carey Price’s $10.5M will be a game-changer once the season begins.

Remember, the Price family doesn’t even live in Quebec anymore. No, the goalie won’t be playing anymore.

What’s important to know is that other transactions may change things between now and the start of the season. Injuries may also change things.

But right now, the CH is in a kind of no man’s land. But why?

Because, in reality, the CH has two options: start the season under the salary cap or start it about $10.5 million over it. If the latter, it would give the Habs the opportunity to maximize Price’s cap hit .

And being under would avoid Price’s disadvantages on the LTIR on day #1 of the season. So it’s with the aim of maximizing a contract that’s hard to pass that the CH will decide.

I have a feeling that the decision will be made depending on the state of the mass in a few weeks. If the club has trimmed the fat, sending guys like Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj or Juraj Slafkovsky on paper for 24 hours to be under the mass would make sense.

But if Kent Hughes adds between now and then, getting close to the $10.5 M surplus could make sense.

In bursts

– Good point.

– The CH added to the Erik Karlsson trade at the end.

– Of course.

– Jeff Petry and the CH: it’s complicated, as we said 10 years ago on Facebook.