The summer of 2021 is an obvious line of demarcation for the Canadiens.



They only have two forwards currently under contract for the 2021-22 season, a number that should grow to three once Max Domi signs his new contract at some point before next summer. There are three defencemen signed that season, four if you count Karl Alzner, but two of them – Brett Kulak and Ben Chiarot – will be entering the final season of their contracts. And in goal, well, there’s Carey Price.



There is a high risk of a ton of turnover in the summer of 2021, with the contract structure of the team changing drastically, a player being lost in the expansion draft to Seattle and several players on entry-level contracts likely filling relatively important roles.



We at The Athletic Montreal have attempted to make this reality as clear as possible in our offseason coverage, starting here with a two-year transition plan to maximize the potential of the current group of...