Jeff Gorton opens the door to the free agent market

It’s review day for the Canadiens. It starts with Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton.

First, we learned that Martin St-Louis’ contract had been extended to 2027 via a contract option. Seeing him stay was to be expected, but now it’s official.

So, the group remains in place to keep the players who are already here happy… but also for the players who are not in the organization.

After all, as we all know, if everyone keeps saying that the playoffs are within reach, that means it’s going to take some help (especially in terms of offensive talent, as Hughes said) on the ice.

That means development, transactions… and free agents. And that’s despite the fact that, last year, Jeff Gorton didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of free agents among NHL executives.

You can’t go in via free agents without giving too much money to an older player. – Jeff Gorton

But does that mean no one will be signed like they have been in other years? Not necessarily.

According to the same Jeff Gorton, if there’s a free agent who can help the Habs down the road, the club will consider him. So he hasn’t closed the door on that possibility this summer.

Gorton, who signed Artemi Panarin in New York shortly after “the letter” to fans, certainly wasn’t going to say otherwise, and in reality, there are conditions for an addition. That’s something to consider when analyzing the whole thing.

Whether via transaction or free agents, blocking a youngster by adding a player is not in the plans.

Changes could be made by adding, but we’re also going to have to subtract from the blue line. Kent Hughes, on the subject, said he hadn’t yet decided which young defenseman (or defensemen) will leave.

That too will have to be decided in what will be an important summer for the Flanelle.

Extension

– Kent Hughes sees Patrice Bergeron in Nick Suzuki.

– Jeff Gorton: his best moves were getting Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis.

– Jeff Gorton doesn’t want to leave.

– Yes.