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Here is a portrait of what awaits Kent Hughes this summer with the signing of Evans
Marc-Olivier Cook
Here is a portrait of what awaits Kent Hughes this summer with the signing of Evans
Credit: Getty Images
The Canadian has settled an important case today with the signing of Jake Evans.

This is one less problem in view of the deadline… But also in view of the coming summer.

This also allows Kent Hughes to have a better idea of what to expect from July 1st.

For now, there are players who do not have a contract for the next season.

Among the current players on the team, there will be restricted free agents: Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Emil Heineman, Jayden Struble, and Jakub Dobes.

And there will be unrestricted free agents: Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Michael Pezzetta, and David Savard.

If we calculate the expected amount for forwards ($53,990,833), for defensemen ($16,425,000), and for goalies ($3,150,000), that gives a total of $73,565,833.

Also note that the Canadian will not have salary retainers (unless it changes by Friday) on its payroll for the next season.

Obviously, we must also think about Carey Price’s contract… But we know that his salary can be hidden once the season starts.

Ah, and there’s also the salary cap that will increase to $95.5 million for the 2025-2026 campaign.

What I’m trying to say here… Is that Kent Hughes should have room to have fun – even if he has to think about Hutson and Demidov, who will command a big salary soon:

(Credit: CapWages)

Obviously, we can’t give a precise amount to spend since there are other guys who will be added to the team by the next training camp.

Ivan Demidov, Owen Beck, Oliver Kapanen, Florian Xhekaj (?), Joshua Roy, Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher (?)… These players may have a chance to make the team for the next season.

But still: with the salary cap rising and with the current amount in the Canadian’s books, Kent Hughes could have nearly $20 million to have fun (not counting Price’s contract, let’s remind ourselves).

He will have room to make a big splash in the free agent market because there aren’t many spots to fill right now.

If we assume that Dvorak, Armia, Pezzetta, and Savard are leaving (Heineman, Struble, and Dobes will likely stay), the lineup would look like this for forwards, defensemen, and goalies:

  • Patrik Laine (A)
  • Nick Suzuki (A)
  • Cole Caufield (A)
  • Brendan Gallagher (A)
  • Josh Anderson (A)
  • Kirby Dach (A)
  • Alex Newhook (A)
  • Jake Evans (A)
  • Juraj Slafkovsky (A)
  • Emil Heineman (A) – new contract
  • Owen Beck (A)
  • Ivan Demidov (A) – arrival in Montreal
  • Mike Matheson (D)
  • Alexandre Carrier (D)
  • Arber Xhekaj (D)
  • Lane Hutson (D)
  • Kaiden Guhle (D)
  • Jayden Struble (D) – new contract
  • Samuel Montembeault (G)
  • Jakub Dobes (G) – new contract

We understand that Struble, Heineman, and Dobes won’t break the bank.

That being said, with the signing of these guys at a reasonable price, the Canadian would have 12 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goalies signed for the next season… And Kent Hughes would still have room under the salary cap to improve his team.

It’s going to get interesting, at the very least.


In a nutshell

– I love his point.

– Nice contract for the Panthers.

– 43-0… Pardon?

– Too bad for the Raptors.

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