What’s the max to give Jake Evans in contract term and salary?
Pete Gervais
That’s a very good question with Evans eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after completing the final season of his three-year contract with a US$1.7 million salary-cap hit.
The 28-year-old centre is having a career season with 8-13-21 totals in 34 games. His eight goals are one more than he scored in 82 games last season. Evans is on pace to finish this season with 19 goals and 51 points, which would both be career highs, surpassing the 13-16-29 totals he posted in 2021-22.
The Canadiens’ Joel Armia, who will turn 32 on May 31, can also become a free agent on July 1 after completing the final season of his four-year, US$13.6-million contract with a $3.4 million salary-cap hit. I think Evans will be worth at least what Armia got in his last contract — if not more.
I’m not sure if the rebuilding Canadiens will give Evans that kind of term and money and I suspect GM Kent Hughes will be looking to see what the return will be for Evans in a trade before the March 7 NHL deadline.
So, you think Montreal extends Jake Evans before the trade deadline?
Chan on X — @ThetooCHANZ
I don’t think the Canadiens will do that unless Evans is willing to take a hometown discount to remain in Montreal. I don’t expect that to happen since this will be the best chance for Evans to cash in and secure his future after getting married this past summer.
There is so much talk about David Savard “not being around” next season. Has anyone talked to him about staying around for at least a couple of more seasons. He is one of the best defenders on the team. He seems to love it here in Montreal, so why fix what ain’t broke? Just sayin’.
Steve Collins
Savard would definitely love to stay in Montreal with his family, but I don’t see that happening. I’d be very surprised if the Canadiens don’t trade the 34-year-old before the trade deadline. The Canadiens acquired a younger veteran defenceman — 28-year-old Alexandre Carrier — when they traded Justin Barron to the Nashville Predators on Dec. 18. By moving on from Savard the Canadiens will open a spot on the blue line for a younger defenceman like 21-year-old Logan Mailloux, who has 5-10-15 totals in 23 games this season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket.
Will this team add a second-line centre or will they wait for Michael Hage and Owen Beck?
Kevin Levandosky
I think that depends on how Kirby Dach plays the rest of this season.
The Canadiens were hoping Dach would become their No. 2 centre behind Nick Suzuki, but he has struggled badly this season after playing only two games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. In 34 games this season, Dach has 2-7-9 totals and a minus-24 rating, the second-worst in the NHL behind the minus-27 for Chicago Blackhawks centre Philipp Kurashev.
There are still 48 games left for Dach to find his game. If he can’t, the Canadiens could be looking to acquire another second-line centre, which won’t be easy. The Canadiens might also decide that Dach is best suited to play on the wing in the future.
It’s too much to ask Hage or Beck to step into the NHL in a second-line centre role as early as next season.
I’m curious about my favourite player, Yvan Cournoyer. Have you heard any news on what he has been doing? On occasion I can see him on TV when he is at home games, but there are not many interviews with him of late. He is, after all, the senior Canadiens captain now.
Grant Manson, Brampton, Ont.
Cournoyer looked good when I saw him at the Bell Centre on Oct. 22 when the Canadiens honoured their 1970s dynasty team that won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1976-79.
Cournoyer, who turned 81 on Nov. 22, won 10 Stanley Cups during his 16 seasons with the Canadiens. The Hall of Famer who was nicknamed “The Roadrunner” because of his speed, is still a regular in the alumni lounge for games at the Bell Centre.
“I always give him a ‘Beep! Beep!’ when I see him and he always laughs,” former Canadien Chris Nilan said Friday when asked about the former captain.
What is the piece of memorabilia you have that brings a smile to your face whenever you look at it.
Patrick Salbaing, Medellin, Colombia
I have a framed photo in my home office of me with Jean Béliveau that always puts a smile on my face.
It’s from about 25 years ago when I was playing in a charity game between members of the Montreal media and some NHL old-timers. Béliveau was the referee for the game. It was in the days before cellphone cameras and ahead of the game I told my wife — who was watching from the stands — to come down to ice level during the first intermission break with a camera so I could get a photo taken with Béliveau.
Béliveau happily posed for the photo and then asked: “Is that your wife?” When I said yes, he skated over to her and introduced himself — like he needed an introduction.
My wife then started to speak with him in French. They kept chatting while I skated away and they talked until it was time to drop the puck for the second period.
After the game, on the drive home, I asked my wife about her conversation with Béliveau.
“That’s the most handsome, charming man I have ever met,” she said. “I love you very much, but I would leave you for him in a second.”
I think she was joking. LOL.
There will never be another Jean Béliveau. The epitome of class.
Do you think the Habs will trade Carey Price after they pay him his bonus on July 1? He will be owed US$2 million in 2025-26 with a US$10.5 million cap hit.
Chuck on X — @RiveSudChuck
The Canadiens would love to trade Price’s contract since it is a salary-cap headache even though his $10.5 million cap hit doesn’t count against the team cap while he’s on long-term injured reserve. I wrote a column last year on why Price’s contract is a “complicated mess” for the Canadiens after talking with Jamie Davis of CapFriendly.
Price will receive a US$5.5 million bonus ahead of next season — which is the last in his eight-year, US$84-million contract — and also earn a US$2 million salary. Those were the same figures for his contract this season.
The bad news for the Canadiens is that the Arizona Coyotes — which is where bad old contracts went to die in the past — no longer exist after the franchise moved and became the Utah Hockey Club this season. Ryan Smith, who owns the Utah team, is a billionaire and isn’t looking to take on bad contracts like the Coyotes used to do in order to reach the floor of the NHL salary cap.
I would expect the Canadiens (and/or their insurance) will have to continue paying Price through next season, after which his contract will officially be off the books.
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