Price’s Contract Could Be Traded to One of Three Teams Ahead of Bigger Move

The Montreal Canadiens are poised to make a significant financial move: trading the contract of franchise legend goaltender Carey Price. Multiple sources, specifically Marco D’Amico of RG.org, indicate the deal could happen in the coming days, now that Price has been paid his $5.5 million signing bonus.

The signing bonus was a key step toward completing a transaction. D’Amico writes, “The reasoning behind trading Price’s contract is simple: The Canadiens are projected to be about $6M over the salary cap at the moment and wouldn’t be able to do the cap gymnastics required to make it work this year.”

Price, who has unofficially retired due to injury, has one year left on his deal with a $10.5 million cap hit but only $7.5 million in actual salary owed. Moving the contract would help Montreal address its current $6 million cap overage and create the flexibility needed for in-season trades. It would also help teams that need to get to the salary cap floor. In exchange, the Canadiens would likely offer up a trade sweetener.

Price has a full no-move clause in his contract, but it is not expected he would use it to hold up a deal.

What Teams Are Looking at Carey Price?

Teams like the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks are rumored to be destinations. Both clubs are hovering near the cap floor and could use Price’s contract as “salary floor insurance,” much like Chicago did last season with Shea Weber’s deal. Even the Pittsburgh Penguins, who may strip their roster down during a rebuild, have been mentioned as a potential partner.

D’Amico writes, “Sources have heard the most amount of noise around the San Jose Sharks who are just $5M over the salary cap floor, with nine unrestricted free agents — five of which are defensemen — that could be prime trade candidates.”

Clearing Price’s contract is about more than financial housekeeping. Sources suggest the Canadiens want room to pursue a top-six forward, either before the season or during the busier early trade window between Thanksgiving and December’s roster freeze. “I haven’t heard anything is imminent with a top-six center with training camps set to start in a few weeks, but I have heard that they’re monitoring a few situations in case teams have a change of heart between now and the December Roster Freeze,” said a well-placed NHL source.

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