If this was the year for the Montreal Canadiens to take the next step in their plan, they should continue with Carey Price and his contract. That is exactly what Canadiens GM knows Hughes did on Friday. He exchanged Price’s contract to the San Jose Sharks, together with a fifth round pick in exchange for Gannon Laroque.
The last time Carey Price played a match was at the end of the 2021-22 season. He went out with a victory on April 29, 2022. That was the perfect way to go out. Price had to do with a knee injury dating from the run of the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup final in 2021. But Montreal had operated in LTIR in the last seasons because they knew the price would never play again. It enabled them to get players such as Kirby Dach (also injured), Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine and Alexandre Carrier.
NHL rumors: the contract of Carey Price does not move, the Montreal Canadiens would fascinate seriously
Montreal made the play -offs last season and benefited from a bad Eastern Conference. They had to play meaningful games in the previous year, with the year the Canadiens make the play -offs this year. And that’s the goal for The team that enters the season. To take the next step, however, more pieces had to be added to the team to fill the holes left by players who had left.
After he had taken over Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and signed him for an eight -year -old deal for $ 9.5 million per season, followed by the acquisition of Zachary Bolduc, many expected the Canadiens to do more and acquire that second line center. It was a quiet summer in Montreal Until the news broke out that the team of the team moved.
This further contributes to the conviction that there can be transactions earlier this year, especially the restrictions on double retention.
Makes a salary cap broker a little less valuable than before, unless you plant it 2 months or more in advance. https://t.co/w5je4rlluh
– Marco d’Amico (@mndamico) September 2, 2025
Look, the work in LTIR would not enable the Montreal Canadiens to consistently go to the play -off candidate status every year. Price’s contract had to be moved.
After the $ 10.5 million of the Trade Prize, #Gohabsgo have $ 4.6 million projected cap -space with 23 active active players.
Without scheduling movements, this can be an annual CAP -hit of $ 20.9 million to fit the Trade Deadlinehttps://t.co/voqe8rwxyp
– Puckpedia (@puckpedia) September 5, 2025
As soon as Price’s bonus was paid after the Labor Day -weekend, it was a fact that the move would be made. With the move, the Canadiens have $ 4.6 million in CAP space to start the season and can have a potential of $ 20 million in accumulated CAP space by adding and adding. And that is the plan for Kent Hughes.
All eyes will be focused on the second line of the middle position. Kirby Dach is healthy and he is the most important question mark for the Canadiens. While everyone will concentrate on goal congregation and rightly, the health of Kirby Dach is the most crucial question for this team. They need someone to play with Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine. They have not had a second -line center and it seems that they are looking.
NHL rumors: All options on the table for Mike Matheson and the Montreal Canadiens
But that does not mean that Hughes and Jeff Gorton do not want to improve elsewhere. Good teams always try to improve all parts of their team. That’s what The montreal canadiens will do. Just like the schedule that is freezing last season, the Canadiens could take a step by that time.
Remember that the Canadiens are linked to Jared McCann van de Kraken in Seattle, but at the moment, The cracks are not inclined to act Their leading scorer. Moreover, the Canadiens will also weigh their options when it comes to Mike Matheson and Patrik Laine. How the season takes place and the development of young players will determine what the team does with them ahead.
Not to mention the expansion for defender Lane Hutson, who starts the last year of his entry contract. What Luke Hughes receives from the New Jersey Devils will probably determine what Hutson receives. Although the Canadiens know their value, and that should not be a problem.
But with the step to get Carey Price’s contract of the books, the Montreal Canadiens have set up to add in the future.
You have subscribed to our YouTube channel? Rumor rounds and hot topics from the entire competition. We also post some things Instagram.
#Montreal #Canadiens #moving #contract #Carey #Price