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The Canadiens started last season $8 million below the NHL’s salary cap of US$75 million and ended up finishing 28th in the overall standings.

It now looks like they could leave even more money on the table next season when the league salary cap increases to US$79.5 million.

After signing centre Phillip Danault to a three-year, US$9.25-million contract on Sunday, the Canadiens have 25 players under NHL contracts and, according to CapFriendly.com, still have $7.812 million in cap space. The Canadiens need to get down to the 23-player NHL limit before the 2018-19 season starts.

The Canadiens have already used some of their extra salary-cap space to buy out the contract of goaltender Steve Mason, who was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in a trade last month that brought right-winger Joel Armia to Montreal. Mason had one season remaining on his two-year, US$8.2-million contract. Mason’s buyout will cost the Canadiens $1.366 million in salary-cap space in each of the next two seasons.