Thursday marks the third day of the Montreal Canadiens development camp and the fourth day of the free-agent market being opened.
There has been significant mention of the Habs’ long-term ambitions. Canadiens’ General Manager Kent Hughes has reiterated that the team’s number one priority is the development of the plethora of budding prospects amassed over the past few years.
While it’s a good state of mind to be optimistic about the future, there are still plenty of moves the Canadiens could make during the free-agent period to bolster their roster.
The biggest move the Canadiens made on Monday, a.k.a. The start of free agency, was signing their former number-one draft pick and sturdy star forward Juraj Slafkovský to an eight-year extension worth $7.6 million annually.
With that signature, Slafkovský and his first-line teammates, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, are set to remain in Montreal until roughly 2030.
But apart from the top offensive trio, there remain a few singings to be made for other young players who are key to the Habs’ contending window. Namely, on the blue line with Arber Xhekaj having received a qualifying offer, and Kaiden Guhle, who, like Slafkovský, is eligible to sign an extension this summer. The need for a definitive defensive roster for the Habs is crucial given the log jam of blueliners on the depth chart.
