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Whether the Canadiens make the playoffs or not, GM Marc Bergevin is going to have money to go free-agent shopping this summer.

The Canadiens’ projected cap space, according to CapFriendly.com, is US$8.5 million, money the team and Bergevin have been sitting on the last two seasons since failing to re-sign Alexander Radulov and/or Andrei Markov. Last summer, John Tavares refused to even meet with the Canadiens before signing his seven-year, US$77-million free-agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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The Canadiens have had trouble attracting free agents in the past and Bergevin made a mistake when he signed defenceman Karl Alzner to a five-year, US$23.125-million contract two summers ago. The Canadiens paid Alzner US$6 million this season to play for the AHL’s Laval Rocket and he has three more seasons on his contract with a $4.625 million annual salary-cap hit.

Montreal was not an attractive destination for free agents last summer after the Canadiens finished 28th in the overall NHL standings and the future looked bleak. But they have made an impressive turnaround this season and now have a young, talented team while goalie Carey Price has shown he can still play some very good hockey at age 31. Maybe that will make the city and the team more attractive to free agents this summer and the time has come for Bergevin to spend his extra money. The players and the fans deserve it.