As it stands, Montreal has $26,937,500 in projected cap space next year, plus $10.5 million in LTIR space, and can open up more if necessary with more palatable buyouts of Gallagher and Anderson. The only major RFA that needs to be signed would be Guhle, and UFA Matheson and RFAs Dach and Hutson the following year. They will have their forward lines bolstered by Demidov on an ELC, looking to have a solid top 6 of Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Dach, Demidov, or a possible trade/UFA candidate should Demidov not be ready for top 6 minutes.
The outlook will be bright, we have a player's coach. 1st class facilities, and he's already shown he's amenable to the Canadian environment. I obviously don't know what he values, but I wouldn't sleep on Montreal making a serious pitch and being serious contenders. Like I mean if he'll play in the hellhole that is Edmonton, anywhere else would be an improvement, right?