In the second instalment of our Canadian NHL team Off-Season Primers, we take deep look at the key decisions–and salary cap considerations–facing the Montreal Canadiens this summer.

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Head coach: Michel Therrien

GM: Marc Bergevin

Salary cap space:

$12,725,000 (assuming a $71.5 million upper limit, according to salary data found at generalfanager.com ).

Front-office outlook:

With two nominations for GM of the Year in his first three seasons with Montreal, Marc Bergevin has helped the Canadiens back to respectability. He’s done it with shrewd hires and deft trades. As a result, the team appears well positioned to compete for the Stanley Cup for the foreseeable future.

But with the Canadiens now 22 years removed from their last championship, patience is wearing thin in Montreal, and the GM’s insistence on building through the draft is being met with resistance from some fans. Bergevin should be aggressive with the cap space he has with cornerstone pieces in Carey Price, Max Pacioretty and P.K Subban firmly in place and entering their primes.

Improving at centre offers a fast-track to contention.

“Do you want me to trade Carey Price? That’s what it costs to get a big centre,” said Bergevin during his end of season press conference on May 15. This was after suggesting the best player he’s drafted—Alex Galchenyuk (3rd overall in 2012)—may never be the big centre they hoped he’d become.

Drafting 26th overall isn’t likely to provide the solution Bergevin needs, but he appears fixed on his philosophy.

Players under contract for 2015-16 (annual average value and duration):

Tomas Plekanec, C, $5M AAV through 2015-16Max Pacioretty, LW, $4.5M AAV through 2018-19Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, RW, $4M AAV through 2015-16Brendan Gallagher, RW, $3.75M AAV through 2020-21David Desharnais, C, $3.5M AAV through 2016-17Lars Eller, C, $3.5M AAV through 2017-18Brandon Prust, LW, $2.5M AAV through 2015-16Dale Weise, RW, $ 1.025M AAV through 2015-16Jacob De La Rose, LW, $.925M AAV through 2015-16Devante Smith-Pelly, RW, $.800M AAV through 2015-16P.K. Subban, RD, $9M AAV through 2021-22Andrei Markov, LD, $5.75M AAV through 2016-17Alexei Emelin, LD, $4.1M AAV through 2017-18Tom Gilbert, RD, $2.8M AAV through 2015-16Greg Pateryn, RD, $.562M AAV through 2015-16Carey Price, G, $6.5M AAV through 2017-18Dustin Tokarski, G, $.562M AAV through 2015-16

Of the players under contract, the two longest tenured Canadiens—Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec–represent the biggest questions.

Markov had 50 points in 2014-15, but, at age 36, showed signs of regression, notching only two points in 12 post-season games, commanding the power play to a paltry 5.6 per cent efficiency rate. Plekanec, who managed 60 points this season, produced just four in the playoffs.

If these two players take a step back offensively, scoring becomes that much more elusive for a team that finished 20th in goals for in 2014-15. If they fall off defensively (both play prominent defensive roles), the task for Price to match his record breaking numbers will be that much more challenging.



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Restricted free agents (2014-15 salary):

C, RW Brian Flynn $.650MC, LW Alex Galchenyuk $.925MLD Nathan Beaulieu $.925MLD Jarred Tinordi, RW Christian Thomas, LW Eric Tangradi, LW Michael Bournival, RD Morgan Ellis, LW Drayson Bowman, C Gabriel Dumont.

The Canadiens consider Galchenyuk and Beaulieu (17th overall pick in 2011) to be core players.

Both restricted free agents are coming off entry-level contracts and both have been through the standard peaks and valleys young players experience, with Galchenyuk not being able to get to his natural position in the middle and Beaulieu not securing his role with the club until this season.

Galchenyuk recorded career highs in goals (20) and assists (26) in 2014-15, while Beaulieu was able to force his way into a top-four position on defence at times, but neither has a right to arbitration, and leverage is firmly on Bergevin’s side in negotiations.

As for the rest of the restricted free agent crop, Tinordi represents a cheap signing, as the 2010 first-rounder has yet to establish himself in the NHL. But, a trade might be looming, and there’s speculation Tinordi has grown impatient with the Canadiens’ development plan.

“Maybe the best thing for Jarred would be a change of scenery,” Tinordi’s father Mark told Montreal’s French language newspaper La Presse in March. “Every time he plays with the Canadiens, it starts off well and then he loses his confidence because he doesn’t play enough.”

Flynn, Dumont and Ellis aren’t guaranteed to have their contracts renewed, but Thomas, Bournival and Bowman represent young, capable NHL depth, and they’ll all be qualified.

Unrestricted free agents (2014-15 AAV):

Torrey Mitchell $2.5MManny Malhotra $.850MSergei Gonchar $5MMike Weaver $1.75MJeff Petry $3.075M

AHL UFAs:

D Bryan Allen, D Davis Drewiske, G Joey MacDonaldBergevin has already informed Malhotra, Weaver and Gonchar that they will not be re-signed . Allen, Drewiske and MacDonald could be retained, but likely only on two-way deals.

Bergevin lauded Mitchell’s speed and his reliability in the defensive zone, noting he’d like to keep him, if he can afford to.

“100 percent; I want to be back,” Mitchell told reporters.

But Mitchell is not top priority, Petry is. The 27-year old puck-moving defenceman is on the verge of a massive payout as one of the top free agents at his position.

“I know [Petry’s] strengths, he fits perfect with our team,” said Bergevin. “We’ll do our best to keep him in Montreal and I think he wants to be here.”

The ability to sign Petry for eight years and to deal with him exclusively until July 1st represents Bergevin’s only advantage.

Possible off-season targets:

If Petry’s a perfect fit, Franson can’t be far off.Like Petry, Franson’s a reliable, right-hand shot, who–at 6’5”, 213 lbs–is capable of playing a physical brand of hockey as well.

It was widely reported that Bergevin had traded veteran defender Josh Gorges for Franson back on June 30, 2014, but the deal was blocked by Gorges, who exercised his no-trade clause.

If Bergevin misses on Petry, one has to wonder if he’ll circle back to Franson and attempt to keep him from going to the Canucks or Leafs.

Justin Williams

At 33, Williams won’t wow anyone with his regular season production (he only had 18 goals and 23 assists in ’14-15), but they don’t call him ‘Mr. Game 7’ for nothing and Montreal needs more players like him to get them through the playoffs.

Williams has expressed a desire to remain in Los Angeles, but with the Kings having missed the playoffs and a good chunk of cap space likely to be designated to right-winger Tyler Toffoli (who’s moved past Williams on the depth chart), there’s no guarantee they’ll re-sign him.

Williams represents an obvious upgrade on Parenteau, and slots in nicely behind Gallagher.

Biggest off-season need:

A top line centre

If the Canadiens aren’t committed to moving Galchenyuk to the middle, they have to try and find an upgrade on one of Desharnais, Plekanec or Eller.

“We’ll look at the possibilities to improve our team at centre, if those players become available,” assured Bergevin. “But I don’t see any that are available.”

But, you have to wonder if Joe Thornton has worn out his welcome in San Jose. Will Eric Staal ride out the final year of his contract with a Carolina Hurricanes team that seems far from competing for a playoff position? Will the Avalanche retain Ryan O’Reilly after tumultuous negotiations with him led to his pending status as a UFA in 2016?

Bergevin has a stocked cupboard of young assets and draft picks, and a couple of roster players he could part with to improve at centre. None of these three players would cost him Price.

Biggest-off-season question:

How long is Michel Therrien’s leash?

Sub-par possession stats and a lack of offensive creativity would’ve assuredly robbed Montreal of a playoff berth had it not been for a historic season from Price. Regardless, an impassioned plea from Bergevin urging Canadiens fans to give Therrien his due, ruled the GM’s end-of-season press conference.

“We are a grinding team, accept it,” said Therrien in a late-2013 episode of 24CH (the team’s bio-series).

But, the Canadiens fizzled in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers in 2014, and went down in similar fashion to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of this year’s playoffs.

Many coaches have been dismissed following strong endorsements from their GMs. A disastrous start to 2015-16 infringe on Therrien’s security?