Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
It must have been a sigh of relief heard inside the Montreal Canadiens’ front office earlier today.
The decision to place Samuel Blais on waivers came with its share of risk, but the outcome is perfect for the Canadiens.
As reported earlier, the Quebec-born forward went unclaimed and will report to Laval.
Let’s be honest, keeping a veteran with a Stanley Cup ring within the organization is a win in itself.
But Kent Hughes’ real stroke of genius lies in the financial details of the move.
By assigning Blais to the Rocket now, the Canadiens save $775,000 against the salary cap during the break.
“The Canadiens will save on the cap ($775,000 cap hit) during the break.
Meanwhile Blais will be able to play in Laval, while giving the Canadiens more flexibility for callups after the break.”
– Marco D’Amico
That’s money in the bank that could become crucial heading into the trade deadline.
Let’s call it like it is: every dollar matters with today’s hard salary cap.
Kent Hughes calculated his move perfectly with Samuel Blais and the Montreal Canadiens pull off a very solid win
Beyond the immediate savings, this strategic decision gives the general manager some much-needed breathing room.
As D’Amico points out, the move gives the Canadiens greater flexibility to make call-ups after the break.
That’s the key battleground for a team looking to evaluate its options.
Meanwhile, Blais will get the chance to play meaningful minutes with the Rocket.
It’s an ideal scenario: the player stays in game shape, the young players benefit from his leadership, and the big club maximizes its cap space.
It’s clean, efficient management that shows the front office has a clear plan in place.
Hughes keeps his depth intact without sacrificing an asset for nothing.
In industry terms, this is what you call a productive day at the office.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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