Contract Offers
March 22, 2024
By Bob Trask
Each NHL team is limited to 50 players on NHL contracts. The Montreal Canadiens are currently sitting at 45 contracts and while some of these contracts will expire on July 1st, creating more available spots, the Canadiens have to offer contracts to a couple of players like Cedric Guindon and Jared Davidson before that time or lose their rights. They may also want of offer contracts to a couple of more like Lane Hutson and Luke Tuch before July 1st but they are not compelled to do so. If all four of those players were signed, it would leave only one contract spot to sign an amateur free agent out of the NCAA or a European free agent before June 1st. There is always the possibility of a player trade before June 1st to open up another spot but those kinds of trades are rare. That situation may cause the Canadiens to hesitate offering Guindon a contract and they also have the option of trying to sign Hutson or Tuch to amateur tryout contracts with Laval after their college season ends without foregoing an NHL contract spot. The situation is complex and worth watching, particularly because Gorton has mentioned he is exploring NCAA free agent opportunities. – Trask