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The Habs want to use their wage bill in a Sean Monahan-style deal

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: (L-R) Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes of the Montreal Canadiens works the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

When Kent Hughes took office over two years ago, he declared that the Habs were last in the standings, but first on CapFriendly. He wanted to change that.

That’s no longer the case. And I’m not just saying that because CapFriendly is dead…

It’s no longer the case because the Blackhawks, Sharks, Blue Jackets and Ducks have been doing worse than the Habs for the past two years, but also because the Habs are slowly but surely shedding their nasty contracts.

As a result, once Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron are under contract, the club has plenty of cash. We’re talking about $5.5 million… not including Carey Price’s contract.

In 2024-2025, Kent Hughes will want to sail with the future still in mind (we know that a big summer in 2025 awaits Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton), but at the same time, he wants to see his guys take a step forward.

He may not say as clearly that making the playoffs in 2025 is the club’s goal as Arber Xhekaj stated yesterday, but we know that Flanelle management wants to see the club progress. #TheFamousWordEnP

All of which is to say that the Habs have salary cap space to maximize and that the club wants to reinforce its attack in the short term while keeping its doors open in the long term. Is it possible to believe that Kent Hughes could be up to something?

It’s possible, yes.

Marco d’Amico, for Responsible Gambling, wrote that from what he’s heard, the Habs GM would indeed be open to using his wage bill in “a Sean Monahan-style deal” to maximize his salary cap and help out a team in return for a little something.

Never forget the Habs when it comes to a surprise summer deal. – A source from Marco d’Amico

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If the Habs could recreate the Sean Monahan situation(or Jeff Petry, who gave the Habs plenty of picks in 2025), it would help the offense a bit, but more importantly it would allow them to pick up another asset for the future.

And clearly, as there are several clubs currently over the top, there are potential partners to dance with. There are also many clubs with very little room for manoeuvre.

(Credit: CapWages)

Mind you: with all the youngsters and picks Hughes has, he doesn’t have to get into trouble to take on a contract. If he sticks to his $5.5M package without having to place Price on the long-term injured list, he won’t be shooting himself in the foot for next summer. And that’s important.

A one-year contract for a forward at around $5M would be ideal, then. Will it happen? Would it be a slightly longer contract, at worst? We’ll see.

Note that, as d’Amico points out, placing the contract on the LTIR is not a situation the Habs want to avoid at all costs. Ideally, he clearly wouldn’t be on the long-term injured list, but if an overly interesting situation were to appear on the horizon, it would have to be evaluated.

But if the Habs keep Price on the regular injured list in addition to picking up a forward and an asset, it’ll be a big W for Went Wughes.

Overtime

– Two similar numbers.

– Bad news.

– The club needed to do more.

– Good contract.

– With good reason.