PUBLICATION

L. Honein
July 26, 2025  (10:19)

Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher and Kent Hughes

Photo credit: NHL

It went under the radar, but on July 1st, Kent Hughes got a significant boost to help facilitate trades. Since that date, his three salary retention slots have become available again.

The Canadiens’ GM now has access to all three salary retention slots again, allowing him to trade a big contract more easily.

He is no longer retaining any salary on behalf of the New Jersey Devils.

A Trade Deadline That Promises to Be Interesting for the Montreal Canadiens

Last year, Kent Hughes chose to listen to his captain Nick Suzuki and kept the entire team intact to finish the season.

That gamble paid off, as the team qualified for the playoffs.

The GM held onto veterans who were set to become unrestricted free agents, such as Joel Armia, David Savard, and Christian Dvorak.

As a result, the final salary retention slot went unused. But the upcoming trade deadline will definitely be different.

Hughes will likely need to retain salary if he wants to move a big contract in its final year, such as those of Mike Matheson or Patrik Laine.

Any of those names could realistically be traded by the next deadline in exchange for immediate help down the stretch.

One name that shouldn’t be forgotten when discussing salary retention is, of course, Carey Price.

Because that’s when his hefty $5.5M signing bonus will be paid out.

Under those circumstances, it would be surprising for any team owner to approve acquiring Price before the Canadiens pay him what he’s owed.

Now imagine if Kent Hughes also retained part of that contract.

Price’s deal would become even easier to move to a team looking to get closer to the salary cap floor.

Having Price on the books at $2-3M, or even $5.25M (50%), for one final season would be far more manageable than the $10.5M he currently counts against the cap.

Previously on HabsFanatics

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Canadiens Regain Key Trade Tool, Opening the Door for Major Moves by Kent Hughes

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