The Montreal Canadiens have some problems, and they are the sort that every team wishes they had. They have a lot of young talent with a ceiling that few can begin to anticipate. As rookies, Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk emerged as some of the most talented players on the team. Early into their sophomore season they look poised to take a big step forward. Lars Eller looks on the verge of becoming a dominant forward in the league, among many others in the line-up. On the blue line the team has a crop of big, young defenseman that should man our defensive end of the rink for years to come. For the first time in a long time, Habs fans look to their team and feel confident in saying the future is bright.
However, the NHL is a salary cap league that creates parity. Year after year we see dismantling of championship teams as they have to retool and regroup. Chicago did it as good as you can. They took a predictable step back after their Stanley Cup win as they had to let go of leaders in their dressing room, only to replace them with others who needed a year or two to get them back on top. This is the new NHL.
With so many young talented players on rookie contracts, the Canadiens are a few years away from a real problem of trying to fit so many great players into their lineup, at market value, while remaining under the cap.
A potential solution is there for them, waiting to be found in an unlikely spot. In an office that is probably a little too small, in St. Petersburg, Florida with the Tampa Bay Rays logo on the wall.
Rather than allowing players to maximize their value and sign these inflated contracts that bog down teams, extend them early. Be good at recognizing talent and when you see it, secure it. Did you know that all-star third baseman Evan Longoria was signed to a six-year extension worth $17.5 million only six days into his career? The deal also had a team option for three additional years. Could it have failed? Yeah, sure it could have but it didn’t. And besides, what sports team is really that afraid of missing? Does anyone actually think Phil Kessel is going to be worth $8 million eight years from now? How about four years from now? The difference here is if you do miss, the cap hit is something that might allow it to be a movable piece.
The Montreal Canadiens and their General Manager Marc Bergevin should consider securing their youth up now to long-term contracts at reasonable cap hits. Instead of having half a dozen players in the future at cap hits of seven, eight or nine million, go with five or six. Sure the team will play above market value on the first year or two as they would forego the bridge approach that they have used for some time, but the savings in the latter years is sure to make up for it tenfold. Not just the money saved on the contract itself, the money that can be reinvested into other talent to push a team over the top.
There is risk involved, however the crop of youth the team has amassed to date is the best indicator we have of the team’s ability to identify talent. So I have nothing but faith, something I have been slowly building back since the Rejean Houle regime.
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