Wasn't something that could have been predicted but yeah that's an opportunity cost that would hurt not being able to take advantage of.
Yup. Part of good management is keeping/creating buffer where possible... Just like building a strong reputation among players/agents.
Not an easy thing to quantify, nor a guarantee that an immediate or direct benefit, but a very important part of the "art" of management that is hard to grasp for many (including many managers, Bergevin being a prime example).
It's also why I'm a bit lukewarm on the current deal. We didn't get any sort of sweetener for taking on Carrier's cap hit which is a bit disappointing. Sure it's not a big enough hit that we can't make future moves but who knows what series of events are now closed off.
Fair. There seems to be a solid fit on the character, play style and of course personal culture background that added to Carrier's appeal to the team. I'm sure all of that played into the trade negotiations from the Habs pov and what they settled on.
If Carrier can step in and by next season be giving us solid/reliable 2nd pair RD minutes, his cap hit will be a net benefit... Keep in mind that the cap increase this summer will significantly boost the contracts of depth players this summer. I bet the cap comparable RDs signed in the summer will be far lesser players.
