The Montreal Canadiens are in an interesting spot. While Carey Price hasn’t played since 2022, his $10.5 million cap hit still looms large. Sure, they can use long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to get cap relief, but that’s not a perfect solution. Using LTIR means they can’t accrue cap space during the season, which limits their flexibility at the NHL trade deadline. To truly maximize their financial freedom and accelerate their rebuild, the Canadiens need to find a trade partner to take on Price’s contract. This is where things get interesting.
Who are the likely trade partners?
There are a few teams that could be a good fit. The Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, and even the Pittsburgh Penguins have been mentioned as possibilities. The San Jose Sharks are another team to keep an eye on. These are all teams in various stages of rebuilding or retooling, and they could use Price’s contract to their advantage.
While the $10.5 million cap hit is substantial, the actual salary is much lower. Price is owed $7.5 million in 2025-26, with a whopping $5.5 million of that paid as a signing bonus on September 1st. This means a team could acquire Price’s contract, easily stay above the salary cap floor, but only have to pay him $2 million for the rest of the season. For a rebuilding team that’s looking to shed salary at the trade deadline, this is an attractive option.
What would a trade look like?
Of course, the Canadiens can’t just give away Price’s contract for free. They’ll likely have to include a sweetener, probably a mid-round draft pick, to entice a team to take on the contract. But for a team like the Blackhawks or Sharks, who are in full-on rebuild mode, that’s a small price to pay for the cap flexibility that Price’s contract provides.
And don’t worry about Price’s no-movement clause. He’s already indicated that he won’t stand in the way of a trade that helps the Canadiens. It’s a classy move from a franchise icon, and it’s one that could pay dividends for the Canadiens in the long run.
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