News Article: 50 Contracts 2023-24

[kyne]

I would like Condotta back, but it's not a big deal as it is not an NHL move and even kind of depth AHL.

I don't think Smilanic will get a contract in a year, so there is one extra spot to play with.

Too bad about Smilanic. Seems his progression has stopped and he may even have taken a step back. I read good things about him and was hoping to see him play.

 

[jfm133]

We made that mistake last season. Please not this year. The only player that should start with Montréal is Bédard if we win the lottery. Otherwise, all the others should go back in the lower level, not even Laval, NCAA, SHL or CHL, wathever, let this kid we will pick mature.

That puts us at 43 to 44 contracts. At 5th overall in the draft we might be getting someone who can play this year so we need to save 1 spot.

 

[jfm133]

Dvorak, Simoneau, Edmundson, Wideman and Fairbrother. That's five contract that should be traded. I would keep Beaudin, He showed nice things at the end of the season. Similar to Richard, he blossomed offensively.

Saw this article and it got me thinking on how HuGo will manage our 50 contract limit next season. Here's my thoughts below:

Returning Forwards (9):
Suzuki, Gallagher, Anderson, Hoffman, Dvorak
Armia, Dach, Evans, Pitlick
Thoughts = Move one or two if possible

Returning Contracted Forward Prospects (7):
Slafkovsky, Heineman, Kidney, Roy, Mysak, Farrell, Simoneau
Thoughts = Will need to reduce a few of our current Laval contracts to make room for the new guys

Prospects who have Contracts that could Slide (0):
Mesar, Beck
Thoughts = Beck back to OHL. Mesar back to Kitchener



Returning Dmen (9):
Matheson, Savard, Edmundson, Barron, Guhle
Harris, Wideman, Kovacevic, Xhekaj
Thoughts = Move one of the vets if possible

Returning Contracted Dmen Prospects (5):
Mailloux, Norlinder, Trudeau, Fairbrother, Struble
Thoughts = With Mailloux & Struble joining we will need to make room

Returning Goalies (3):
Allen, Montembeault, Price
Thoughts = Would be nice to move on from the Price & Allen contracts

Returning Contracted Goalie Prospects (2):
Primeau, Dobes
Thoughts = Thinking they would like to add one more G prospect to solidify our back end

UFA's (Guessing 3)
Drouin, Byron, Tierney = Gone
Belzile, Richard = Good chance we see both back
Monahan = Would love to see him on a 1 year team friendly deal
Leskinen, Schuneman, Allard, Bowey = Not enough room for all. Guessing only Schuneman returns

RFA's (5 to 6)
Caufield = Yes
Gurianov = Needs to be team friendly. I think he's gone
Pezzetta = Returning
Ylonen = Returning
Condotta = No, Need Room for Roy, Kidney, and Heineman, Mysak, Farrell to play bigger role
Teasdale = Returning
Stephens = No, Need Room for Roy, Kidney, and Heineman, Mysak, Farrell to play bigger role
Harvey-Pinard = Returning
Beaudin = Maybe AHL only deal with Laval

Unsigned Prospects (Guessing 0):
Frederik Nissen Dichow
Joe Vrbetic
Tony Sund
Jack Gorniak
Arvid Henrikson

That puts us at 43 to 44 contracts. At 5th overall in the draft we might be getting someone who can play this year so we need to save 1 spot.

I believe this is Jared Davidson's last year in the WHL so he might need a contract. Also Tuch & Smilanic might be done in the NCAA. If we add all three plus our first round pick we will be at 47 to 48 contracts.

That's not a whole lot of room for UFA's or the potential for MTL to take on a bad contract like we did with Monahan last season. Got to think HuGo will do their best to move a contract or two.

Let me know your thoughts and if I forgot anyone

 

[Steve Shutt]

We made that mistake last season. Please not this year. The only player that should start with Montréal is Bédard if we win the lottery. Otherwise, all the others should go back in the lower level, not even Laval, NCAA, SHL or CHL, wathever, let this kid we will pick mature.

Im in agreement with that

 

[MrNasty]

This is exactly why we need to trade a couple of NHL players and cash in on/move out some depth prospects while they still have value. There aren't enough spots to play in both Montreal and Laval let alone the contract limit.

 

[Team_Spirit]

David Ettedgui just said he think Sobolev will make the Habs in 3 years and here he's not even considered as a one of the 50 contracts hmmm

 

[MadMslm]

David Ettedgui just said he think Sobolev will make the Habs in 3 years and here he's not even considered as a one of the 50 contracts hmmm

Sobolev wasn’t invited to development camp and neither was he at rookie camp (at least for the beginning, i believe he joined the prospects in Buffalo after the first game while he was at Windsor’s camp).

Don’t know the reasons why he wasn’t there from the start and if he joined late in Buffalo for political reasons, but all in all he isn’t that much of a prospect.

Ahl deal or just no contract offer for him this summer, not a loss (no real upside there, he’s last on my list of defensemen)

Ettedgui must be smoking.

 

[montreal]

Sobolev wasn’t invited to development camp and neither was he at rookie camp (at least for the beginning, i believe he joined the prospects in Buffalo after the first game while he was at Windsor’s camp).

Don’t know the reasons why he wasn’t there from the start and if he joined late in Buffalo for political reasons, but all in all he isn’t that much of a prospect.

Ahl deal or just no contract offer for him this summer, not a loss (no real upside there, he’s last on my list of defensemen)

Ettedgui must be smoking.

it was a visa issue I believe.

 

[MadMslm]

it was a visa issue I believe.

Makes sense for the prospect tournament in Buffalo, but what about the rookie camp that was in Montreal ?

Maybe I’m mistaken, but I remember him being in Windsor for their camp at the same time.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Sobolev is a nobody and whoever David Ette-Guy is.. don't give him a scouting job.

 

[montreal]

Makes sense for the prospect tournament in Buffalo, but what about the rookie camp that was in Montreal ?

Maybe I’m mistaken, but I remember him being in Windsor for their camp at the same time.

He was with Windsor as he waited to be allowed into the US, then he went so he would have been at both if not for the issue.

 

[26Mats]

Sobolev is a nobody and whoever David Ette-Guy is.. don't give him a scouting job.

David Ettedgui just said he think Sobolev will make the Habs in 3 years and here he's not even considered as a one of the 50 contracts hmmm

heard the segment on Laracque's show.

Though it was kind of fun to hear a few of his projections, it sounded more like giving the floor to a deranged fan than some kind of self tittled expert.

 

[Agalloch]

I think one of Dvorak, Armia or Hoffman is gone this summer.

Jared Davidson will be sign to a AHL deal (like Tourigny was). I think we should sign Sobolev, maybe the last player to receive a ELC contract this summer.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I think one of Dvorak, Armia or Hoffman is gone this summer.

Jared Davidson will be sign to a AHL deal (like Tourigny was). I think we should sign Sobolev, maybe the last player to receive a ELC contract this summer.

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

that's too many posts about Sobolev

 

[Agalloch]

that's too many posts about Sobolev

Normal. He needs to be sign before June 1st.

 

[Steve Shutt]

Normal. He needs to be sign before June 1st.

Not sure if that's true. I believe we have "Indefinite Rights (no transfer agreement with the country)" on Sobolev. At least according to this source:

 

[Bouboumaster]

Slafkovsky - Bedard - Dubois
Caufield - Suzuki - Anderson
Drouin - Dach - Gallagher
Evans - Dvorak - RHP

Guhle - Savard
Matheson - Harris
Xhekaj - Kovacevic

 

[CheldishGamibno]

People might confuse Sobolev for Kostenko? Kostenko is an interesting prospect that should stay in the KHL for now. Sobolev can GTFO

 

[Steve Shutt]

People might confuse Sobolev for Kostenko? Kostenko is an interesting prospect that should stay in the KHL for now. Sobolev can GTFO

Sobolev is only 20 years old, we have his rights indefinitely and he doesn't count against our 50 contract limit. Let him play in the KHL or the ECHL as long as he needs. Might never develop but then again maybe he turns into something 3 or 4 years from now

 

[Booba]

NHL
F (14) : Suzuki, Caufield, Dach, Anderson, Dvorak, Hoffman, Slafkovsky, Gallagher, Armia, RHP, Evans, Ylonen, Belzile, Pezzetta

D (7) : Matheson, Guhle, Savard, Edmundson, Xhekaj, Harris, Kovacevic

G (3) : Monteambeault, Allen, Price

AHL
F (11) : Pitlick, Richard, Heineman, Farrell, Roy, Kidney, Teasdale, Simoneau, Stephens, Condotta, Mysak

D (9) : Barron, Wideman, Schueneman, Beaudin, Trudeau, Mailloux, Norlinder, Struble, Fairbrother

G (2) : Primeau, Dobes
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
46 might be a little too close for comfort but that's at least a full NHL/AHL roster. Ideally, I'd like to keep some space for Abbandonato, Dubé and one of Dichow or Vrbetic.

Stephens and Schueneman might fall victims to the numbers' game. Solid AHL depth but if they are still looking for an NHL opportunity, Montreal might not be the best fit.A Hoffman buyout would also add some room.

Hughes will likely be a little more aggresive on the UFA market this summer as Richard was technically his biggest acquistion last offseason.

Clearing contracts through trades is another possibility, but not always an easy task. If the Habs were to include "throw-ins", Mysak and Norlinder are possible candidates.

 

[Steve Shutt]

Updated the OP
Leskinen has signed in Finland
Allard has signed in Sweden

 

[Steve Shutt]

OP update with Pezzetta signing, Frederik Nissen Dichow leaving and the rights to Joe Vrbetic being extended for two years.


Assuming we get more news in the coming weeks on Davidson, Richard, Belzile, Stephens, Condotta, Beaudin, Gurianov, Monahan, Schuneman and Bowey

Any news on Tuch?

 

[BaseballCoach]

It was written somewhere (La Presse?) that Jack Gorniak's rights expired. Why would that not have been August 15th?

 

[26Mats]

NHL
F (14) : Suzuki, Caufield, Dach, Anderson, Dvorak, Hoffman, Slafkovsky, Gallagher, Armia, RHP, Evans, Ylonen, Belzile, Pezzetta

D (7) : Matheson, Guhle, Savard, Edmundson, Xhekaj, Harris, Kovacevic

G (3) : Monteambeault, Allen, Price

AHL
F (11) : Pitlick, Richard, Heineman, Farrell, Roy, Kidney, Teasdale, Simoneau, Stephens, Condotta, Mysak

D (9) : Barron, Wideman, Schueneman, Beaudin, Trudeau, Mailloux, Norlinder, Struble, Fairbrother

G (2) : Primeau, Dobes
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
46 might be a little too close for comfort but that's at least a full NHL/AHL roster. Ideally, I'd like to keep some space for Abbandonato, Dubé and one of Dichow or Vrbetic.

Stephens and Schueneman might fall victims to the numbers' game. Solid AHL depth but if they are still looking for an NHL opportunity, Montreal might not be the best fit.A Hoffman buyout would also add some room.

Hughes will likely be a little more aggresive on the UFA market this summer as Richard was technically his biggest acquistion last offseason.

Clearing contracts through trades is another possibility, but not always an easy task. If the Habs were to include "throw-ins", Mysak and Norlinder are possible candidates.

- I think Barron has graduated and will learn at the NHL level.
- Not sure Primeau clears waivers.
- hope we can get another Monahan like bad contract, that comes with a 1st attached to it.
- Jared Davidson should get a deal, but maybe an AHL deal.
- I think Scheneman looks elsewhere, for a team with less LD depth.