GHT120

$104M this season, $113.5M next ... Early estimates for the 2028–29 season project the cap potentially reaching or exceeding $123

According to ClickBait30, this is the new Habs alternate sweater Hope they're right, looks great

Agreed ... but I am not certain that HuGo have truly had any opportunity this offseason to grade for a legit #2 centre, let alone a 1B

There was that pesky NMC that rendered all our hopes, dreams, and discussions moot.

I think that Carrier-Guhle would be an excellent 3rd pairing ... Carrier is not anything more than a 3rd pairing D, but I think his play was negatively impacted by having to babysit Struble or Xhekaj ... paired with Guhle I believe Carrier can play to his full 3rd D potential and be a solid contributor

I like that to START ... hopefully Reinbacher acclimates quickly and can swap with Carrier ... as Engstrom remains waiver exempt I would leave him playing tons in Laval and keep Struble or Xhekaj as the 7D

Guhle skating by himself yesterday, in sweats, while his teammates practiced on another sheet Guhle WATCHING his teammates practice today ... is there an injury problem?

Might help with his agility/quickness when playing D as well

For what little it is worth, if anything, ClickBait30 says: According to Grant McCagg, who discussed the situation on the HabsCast podcast with Liam Maguire, the Canadiens have offered Xhekaj a spot on the forward line next season.

That will carry him through his early developmental years ... may work well for the Habs if it goes well and he is interested in the NHL come 2029

And of course all this talk depends on Scheifele waiving his NMC

A big chunk of the value of "B" level prospect may well be the price to move Montembeault right now, so basically Kapanen for a proven Top 6 centre whose last 4 seasons were 42-25-39-36 goals

For a team with expectations of being a PLAYOFF team (i.e. as sure as sure can be thing) that would be a huge gamble ... if Fowler isn't ready to be the #1 Dobeš became last season it fills a hole at 2C by creating one in goal ... besides, I expect the Jets would heavily pursue the 3.5 years younger Fowler ... besides, don't think HuGo want to trade either goalie until at least next summer and they have more a better handle on them both.

"Trevor Timmins will now oversee the Blue Jackets’ amateur scouting operation as director of amateur scouting. "

One might expect that trading their star goaltender would begin a rebuild process ... meaning the returns would not be established veterans with NTC/NMCs.

Beyond simple preference, by summer 2029 if one of the long-term high-priced goalies has the bottom fall out of their game, their team might be willing to make it worth the new team's while to take them off their hands ... soooooo much can/will happen between now and the expansion draft

As I understand it, if the expansion draft is in June 2029 Matheson's NMC will still be in effect and the Habs will be obligated to protect him (expansion drafts are normally held prior to free agency beginning) ... but the language in McCaron's contract (his NMC does not require he be protected in an expansion draft) indicating that, as with trades, a NMC can be waived ... three seasons can result in circumstances changing and Matheson might well be ready to waive to move to a "no-tax" state ... only time will tell

That KEY point was only available in "Show more" ... annoying sometimes

One year ? The franchise is excepted to be awarded by year-end but “They’re projecting the ability to start play in 2029-30,” Daly said, presumably to allow time for acquisition of land/approvals/construction of the new arena ... and "projecting" carries a fair bit of weight in that statement ... so far too early to be speculating about protected lists.

On the other hand ... losing a player you don't care if you lose means your team is pretty lousy

Vegas expansion taught teams how to manage expansion drafts ... identify your "protectees" and move out the best of what's left for picks, prospects or players not yet eligible for the draft ... the expansion draft would be in the summer of 2029 ... by then I expect HuGo would already be faced with making the choice between Fowler and Dobeš anyway (assuming, however unlikely, Croteau, Miller, Volokhin, Vecvanags, or Cournoyer haven't forced their way into the discussion).

As I said above, both Atlanta and Phoenix failed in large part because of bad ownership and bad arenas/arena placement ... with the cost of a modern NHL expansion franchise the ownership will be far more financially solid and far more invested in ensuring the franchise's success.

OBVIOUSLY the perfect tandem ... 😉