Carey Price’s contract exit clears Montreal’s cap runway and sets the Canadiens up to chase a true second-line center this season. With about 4.6M in cap space to start and as much as ~20M accrued by the trade deadline, Kent Hughes can pursue upgrades without early financial constraints.

The move pivots around Kirby Dach’s health and the pairing with Demidov and Laine, while Montreal weighs options on Mike Matheson and Patrik Laine. A quiet summer turns into a calculated cap strategy, with Price’s departure underpinning future roster moves and development paths for Hutson, Dobson, and the emerging wings.