Nick Suzuki gives Martin St-Louis a rare luxury as the Montreal Canadiens build around a core locked into manageable cap hits.
BarDown raised the question after another wave of massive NHL contracts: does Montreal now own the league's best salary-cap situation?
The case starts with Suzuki. Montreal's captain carries a $7,900,000 cap hit while filling the first-line center role and driving the top six.
Cole Caufield sits at the same $7,900,000 figure. That gives the Canadiens a premier shooter without the oversized number now attached to several young stars elsewhere.
Juraj Slafkovsky comes in even lower at $7,600,000. His growth will determine whether that contract becomes one of Kent Hughes' strongest long-term bets.
Lane Hutson is the most expensive of the group at $8,900,000, yet Montreal still kept its most dynamic defenseman below the $9,000,000 line.
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The Canadiens' salary-cap situation is becoming very bad news for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Montreal has locked up its young core at manageable prices while several rivals are being forced to pay massive salaries to their top players.
That gives Kent Hughes the flexibility to add more talent without breaking apart the roster. As Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky and Hutson continue to improve, the Canadiens could become even more dangerous. The rest of the East should be paying very close attention.
Canadiens suddenly have one of the NHL's best contract situations
Together, Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky and Hutson account for $32,300,000 against the cap. That's a controlled number for 4 players expected to carry major roles.
The real value appears when compared with the new salary market. Young franchise players are now pushing well beyond Montreal's internal ceiling, giving Hughes more room around his core.
That flexibility can be used to fix the remaining holes. The Canadiens still need more certainty at second-line center and could use another established scoring option.
It also gives Montreal protection when its next wave arrives. Ivan Demidov, David Reinbacher and other young players will eventually need new contracts if their development stays on track.
St-Louis benefits immediately because the roster doesn't have to be stripped around one massive salary. Montreal can keep depth, support the blue line and add help without dismantling the top six.
There is still risk. A strong cap structure only matters if the players attached to those contracts deliver when the games tighten.
But the foundation is difficult to criticize. Hughes secured Montreal's captain, top shooter, power forward and offensive blue-line engine without allowing one deal to overwhelm the roster.
The Canadiens may not own the NHL's best cap situation yet. They've still built one of the cleanest cores in the league, and the gap could grow as new contracts continue climbing.
Do the Montreal Canadiens have the NHL's best cap situation?
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