Canadiens Extend Qualifying Offers to 5 Players

[RGM81]

Per RDS.

Sergei Kostitsyn
Tom Pyatt
Maxim Lapierre
Mathieu Carle

and most importantly:

"Le gardien numéro un Carey Price"

[duwal]

it would be smart for some team to offer Carey Price an offer substantially better than Montreal's since he's a restricted free agent. They could either handcuff Montreal since they already traded their starter and need to keep Price or worse case scenario they would sign a 22 year old goalie with some promise

[RGM81]

Price will be under contract by July 1st. I have little doubt of this.

[Pheebs888]

Kostitsyn...yuck. I would have prefered to see him fly to the KHL quite frankly

[RGM81]

I doubt if he'll be back, this just gives the Habs property of his NHL rights beyond July 1st.

[30ranfordfan]

It would be a smart move, but to give him an offer that would truely handcuff the Habs..... the other team would have to be willing to part with 4 1st rounders if they decline (think Edmonton's offer sheet @ Vanek a couple of years ago).

Anyone in the League willing to move 4 1sts for Price?

it would be smart for some team to offer Carey Price an offer substantially better than Montreal's since he's a restricted free agent. They could either handcuff Montreal since they already traded their starter and need to keep Price or worse case scenario they would sign a 22 year old goalie with some promise

[gretzky99]

don't think it would be four first rounders - would have to be a huge offer to get that much. i'm guessing if a team offers him $2.5M/year that would only cost them then 1-2 first rounders.

[bigpinero]

I'm surprised that they made an offer to Sergei with all the chaos he caused in recent years. Apparently now he bashed the team for trading Halak too.

All I want is for his brother Andrei to be the player he can be (= A BEAST) and I hope that it will happen in Montreal.

[RGM81]

don't think it would be four first rounders - would have to be a huge offer to get that much. i'm guessing if a team offers him $2.5M/year that would only cost them then 1-2 first rounders.

That's an offer the Habs would surely be more than willing to match given that they paid him $2.2M last year after bonuses. This is all moot, as he'll be signed before next Thursday.

[gretzky99]

i agree - i don't think anyone would offer Price a big money deal. there are a ton of goalies available this summer and it's not worth giving up 2+ first rounders. they traded Halak so they could keep Price - no need to overthink it on this one.