Montreal Canadiens 15 Best Contracts (2005-2022)

This was originally published in my 2020 book Hunting Bargains in a Salary Cap World, and has now been updated with new contracts. I will continue to update each team’s list every summer going forward. The rule is that only active contracts can move up or down. Expired deals cannot pass each other. Next summer it may even be expanded to top 20. The book is still available on Amazon, though some of the stats on active contracts are now out of date. You may yet find it interesting because there were detailed stat graphics that you won't find here. One thing you won't find here are entry level contracts because they all come from the same cookie cutter and require less skill at the negotiating table.

My latest book The Hockey Economist’s Betting Prospectus is now available. It's a comprehensive commentary on the last 3 years of hockey betting, broken down by team, by category, by strategy, by season. There is plenty of useful information for bettors of all skill levels. It covers pre-pandemic, peak-pandemic, post-pandemic. What worked, what failed. Lessons learned, market trends, team-by-team analysis. What impact did the pandemic have on hockey betting? The market differences between these 3 seasons are discussed at length, and there's a lot to talk about. To read more, visit the Amazon store.

If you’d like to browse my other best/worst contract lists, click here. Enjoy! 

Please note: The formatting on the graphics got scrambled being copied from Excel into Google Blogger. It's among the reasons my blog is looking for a new home.

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Most of the success Montreal has enjoyed in the salary cap era came on the shoulders of MVP goaltender Carey Price (who briefly took a backseat to a brief but magical Jaroslav Halak run), and that is reflected on their best contracts list. When you get world class goaltending, that can go a long way to covering up mistakes.
 
Some of their biggest wins at the negotiating table came from squeezing young RFA players into low-ball short-term bridge deals, and struggled mightily on the UFA market in July. You can read all about that on their worst contracts list. Only 2 UFAs appear on their best list, and both were extensions to existing players who never reached the open market. Their only July UFA to even appear in their top 20 was Ben Chiarot, who didn’t crack the top 15.
 
 
1. Carey Price
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	G
Date:	2012-07-02		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	6 years		Playoff Wins:	17
Total Money:	$39M		Playoff SV%:	0.919
Cap Hit:	$6.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	7.7	287	162	2.38	0.921

"Now I can just focus on the goal of winning a Stanley Cup"

– Carey Price

Carey Price had been shouldering a heavy workload for back-to-back seasons and had already amassed 271 career GP (with 26 more in the playoffs) by the time he needed a new contract at age 24. Marc Andre Fleury is the only other goalie in the salary cap era to even approach that many games at such a young age. It’s not a coincidence that Carey would receive a similar contract that Fleury had signed 4 years earlier, but for a higher salary.
 
This deal had its peaks and valleys, with the peak being as good as it gets. Price won the Vezina and league MVP in 2015, posting an incredible 44 wins with a .933 SV%. The first and last years were below average, and year four he suffered a serious injury, but he was top 4 in Vezina voting for the other half of the deal. Over the full span of this agreement, Price produced a 2.38 GAA and .921 SV% in 287 regular season GP. Even won a Lou Marsh trophy as best Canadian athlete.
 
 
2. Max Pacioretty
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	F
Date:	2012-08-13		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	6 years		Playoff GP:	41
Total Money:	$27M		Playoff PTS:	30
Cap Hit:	$4.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	31.1	446	335	1546
Per 82 GP	5.2	82	62	284	18.6

“The biggest thing for me is, my career has been maybe plagued by instability and just to be able to call Montreal home for seven years is such an honour. I want to do whatever I can to help this team win and this will help me focus on that for years to come.”

– Max Pacioretty

Max Pacioretty inked a 6-year extension at age 23 after scoring 33 goals and 65 PTS in 2012, receiving a clone of the James Van Riemsdyk deal from one year earlier, but for slightly more money. This proved to be a terrific investment, at least for the first 4 years, producing a perennial 30+ goal scorer.
 
In 446 games Patches scored 180 goals and 335 PTS (62-point pace). His production dipped in year five, but the Habs were still able to trade Maximus to Vegas for an incredible return that included blue chip prospect Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2nd round draft pick. Pacioretty was well compensated on his next contract, but accepting a deal that took him to age 30 did cost him some term. Taking the fast track to free agency would have been more prudent, granted he did bank close to $60M over his career, so who am I to judge?
 
 
3. P.K Subban
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	D
Date:	2013-01-28		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	22
Total Money:	$5.8M		Playoff PTS:	18
Cap Hit:	$2.9M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	7.4	124	91	330
Per 82 GP	3.7	82	60	218	24.1

"I think at this point it was the right decision for me to make"

– PK Subban

Marc Bergevin had only been the General Manager in Montreal for less than a year when P.K Subban needed a new deal following a 36-point season to complete his ELC. P.K had no arbitration rights, so Bergevin decided to play hardball and force the young defenseman to take 60 cents on the dollar for a 2-year bridge. Subban even sat out games seeking a fair price, but eventually capitulated rather than risk losing a whole season of development (exacerbated by the fact that it was already a truncated schedule).
 
Being forced to bet on himself could not have worked out better for PK, who won the Norris Trophy on a cheap price tag. It would have been more beneficial to the Habs had they given him the 4x4 or 5x5 agreement he was seeking, and instead were forced to pony up a massive $72M jackpot when this expired. Subban was reimbursed every penny that he had left on the table and more. Regardless of whether or not Bergevin wanted to pay the piper, his chances of winning an arbitration hearing against a recent Norris trophy winner were infinitesimal.
 
 
4. Carey Price
 

Signed By:	Pierre Gauthier		Position:	G
Date:	2010-09-02		Age July 1st:	22
Term:	2 years		Playoff Wins:	3
Total Money:	$5.5M		Playoff SV%:	0.934
Cap Hit:	$2.75M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	3.7	137	64	2.39	0.920

“We are extremely happy that Carey has agreed to pursue his career with the Canadiens. Carey is a key member of our Club. He has proven that he has what it takes to be a good goaltender in the league, and we are confident he will perform to the best of his abilities for years to come in a Canadiens uniform”

– Pierre Gauthier

 
"Relax, chill out. We've got lots of time. We're not winning the Stanley Cup in the first exhibition game."

– Carey Price

Carey Price came to Montreal with high expectations as a 5th overall draft pick and his entry level contract had its ups and downs, even getting booed by hometown fans in preseason. Price had not yet emerged as one of the league’s best goaltenders when this pact was signed, accepting similar terms to the Cam Ward bridge from 3 years earlier (nominally it was a higher salary, but relative to the cap was cheaper).
 
The Price was right relative to his stat line, but quickly became a bargain with Carey taking a large step forward in year one, registering 38 wins and a .923 SV%, finishing 5th in Vezina trophy voting. Year two did not go quite as well, as Price was only slightly above average as the Habs finished near the bottom of the standings, getting the 3rd overall pick, taking Alex Galchenyuk. In 137 GP Price produced a 2.39 GAA and .920 SV%.
 
 
5. Max Pacioretty
 

Signed By:	Pierre Gauthier		Position:	F
Date:	2011-06-20		Age July 1st:	22
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	4
Total Money:	$3.3M		Playoff PTS:	0
Cap Hit:	$1.6M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	4.2	123	104	449
Per 82 GP	2.1	82	69	299	17.6

“A power forward with skills, Max showed that he can help our team and make a name for himself in the NHL. We are confident that he will have recovered fully from the injury.”

– Pierre Gauthier

Max Pacioretty was up and down between the AHL and NHL for all 3 years of his ELC, which helped the team get him a low price-tag for his 2nd contract. There had to be some doubts about his health after getting smashed into the stanchion by Zdeno Chara, suffering a concussion and cracked vertebrae, helping the management side in negotiations.
 
Patches recovered nicely, evolving into a very cost-effective investment, producing, 104 PTS in 123 GP (70 PTS per 82 GP). Despite this strong performance, the team was able to sign him to another discounted deal with Max selling UFA years at an RFA rate. His best was yet to come.
 

 
6. Jeff Petry
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	D
Date:	2015-06-02		Age July 1st:	27
Term:	6 years		Playoff GP:	32
Total Money:	$33M		Playoff PTS:	7
Cap Hit:	$5.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	35.5	421	213	905
Per 82 GP	5.9	82	41	176	22.8

“Jeff showed a tremendous will to commit to the Canadiens and stay in Montreal. He is a solid defenseman with speed and size who acquired valuable playoff experience this year. Jeff is a very good fit within our group of defensemen and his presence gives us a lot of depth at this position.”

- Marc Bergevin

Jeff Petry was set to become an unrestricted free agent at age 27 when Montreal acquired him from Edmonton for a pair of draft picks. Marc Bergevin would procure his autograph on a new 6-year extension one month before reaching the open market. This was an expensive commitment for a defenseman who had a career high 25 PTS. Nick Leddy received nearly identical terms a few months earlier on his way to a 37-point season.
 
Petry was certainly overpaid early, with many people (myself included) ringing alarm bells that this could be a faulty investment. The critics were silenced when he had an unexpected breakout with 41 PTS at age 29, then raised the bar even higher, scoring 46 PTS at age 30.
 
 
7. Mark Streit
 

Signed By:	Bob Gainey		Position:	D
Date:	2006-06-07		Age July 1st:	28
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	11
Total Money:	$1.2M		Playoff PTS:	4
Cap Hit:	$600K		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	2.1	157	98	267
Per 82 GP	1.1	82	51	139	15.8

"He definitely looks more confident with a season now under his belt. With Francis being sidelined well before training camp, Mark knew that we had room for him. He arrived at camp this year much better prepared and ready to take on more ice-time."

– Guy Carbonneau

Mark Streit jumped from the Swiss league to the NHL at age 27 after a productive career for Switzerland at the international level. The puck moving defenseman had a rocky transition to the NHL, averaging under 15 minutes of ice time while accumulating 31 healthy scratches. This allowed Gainey to re-sign him at a rock-bottom price.
 
In year one, Streit actually played more often as a forward than a defenseman (hence how he scored 36 PTS while averaging 14 minutes of ice time), which would contribute to his evolution into an offensive force. By year two he potted 62 PTS as a defenseman, which if you’re wondering, yes that’s the lowest price any team has paid for a 60-point season from a D-Man on a non-ELC in the salary cap era (the next closest is Erik Gustafsson in 2019).
 
Mark would leave Montreal when this expired, banking $20M from the Islanders, which you can read about on their best contracts list. Usually when we’re talking about players leaving as 30-year-old UFAs for long-term deals elsewhere, I’d be recommending you visit that team’s worst contracts list for more information. Streit aged well, probably due in part to his late arrival in the NHL. There were fewer miles on his odometer.
 
 
8. Jaroslav Halak
 

Signed By:	Bob Gainey		Position:	G
Date:	2008-07-08		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	2 years		Playoff Wins:	9
Total Money:	$1.6M		Playoff SV%:	0.924
Cap Hit:	$775K		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	1.1	79	44	2.59	0.920

"He played very well for us when called upon over the past two seasons. He is young competitor with great skills and an excellent work ethic."

– Bob Gainey

Jaroslav Halak had only accumulated 22 games of NHL experience when he signed this pact and earned a full-time NHL job as back-up to Carey Price. He did not post spectacular numbers in year one, but was cost-effective at that price-point.
 
Then in year two Halak took a giant leap forward, over-taking Price as the primary starter, including an unforgettable playoff run where he personally eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals juggernauts in huge upsets for under $1M AAV. Unfortunately, Carey was the future in Montreal, so Jaroslav got shipped to St. Louis for Lars Eller. While Jaro did go on to a quality career (especially with Boston), the Habs made the right choice in Price, though not all fans agreed at the time.
 
 
9. Tomas Plekanec
 

Signed By:	Pierre Gauthier		Position:	F
Date:	2010-06-23		Age July 1st:	27
Term:	6 years		Playoff GP:	41
Total Money:	$30M		Playoff PTS:	22
Cap Hit:	$5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	37.9	450	299	1216
Per 82 GP	6.3	82	54	222	19.6

"I've been part of the organization for eight years and I have a chance to be part of it for another six years, so I know what's it all about and I love everything about it. There was no question of wanting to leave."

– Tomas Plekanec

Tomas Plekanec was nearing unrestricted free agency at age 27 following a successful 70-point campaign in 2010, when Pierre Gauthier enticed him to stay in Montreal at the same price (nominally) as Brian Gionta had received as an unrestricted free agent one year earlier. There was not much money left on the table, as this was close to the price he would have elicited on the UFA market (though scarcity of top line centers available that summer might have driven the price up).
 
While the Czech center would never come close to 70 PTS again, he would remain productive and effective past his 30th birthday. In total he played 450 games and scored 299 PTS (54-point pace) with an additional 22 PTS in 41 playoff GP. That’s production any NHL team would take at that term and price from a center. There would be another $12M pay day waiting for Plekanec at age 33, which you can read about on the Habs worst contracts list.
 

10. Nick Suzuki
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	F
Date:	2021-10-12		Age July 1st:	22
Term:	8 years		Playoff GP:	0
Total Money:	$63M		Playoff PTS:	0
Cap Hit:	$7.9M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	63.0	0	0	0
Per 82 GP	7.9	0	0	0	0.0

"We are very happy to secure Nick's services for the next eight seasons"

– Marc Bergevin

Nick Suzuki scored close to a 60-point pace for the last two seasons of his ELC, which carries an expected free agent value in the $6M to $7M range. Marc Bergevin (who was fired a month later) decided to offer a long-term commitment at a slight premium instead of insisting on a short-term bridge deal like he did with P.K Subban. 

If the salary cap goes up as much as expected in the next few years and Suzuki continues on his current development path, this should prove to be an excellent investment. Rest assured, this deal is not why Bergevin got fired.
 

11. Andrei Markov
 

Signed By:	Bob Gainey		Position:	D
Date:	2005-08-25		Age July 1st:	26
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	6
Total Money:	$5M		Playoff PTS:	1
Cap Hit:	$2.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	10.0	144	95	216
Per 82 GP	5.0	82	54	123	24.0

"I just love Montreal. I've said all along how much I wanted to be here”

– Andrei Markov

Andrei Markov had played 4 years in the NHL before the 2005 lockout, peaking at 37 PTS. There was already evidence of his elite offensive skill from the blueline when he signed this bridge deal, and took his play to the next level immediately, thriving on all the extra power plays in the league that season, scoring 46 PTS in 67 GP.
 
The Russian followed that up with a 49-point season, finishing the contract with 54 PTS per 82 GP, averaging 24 minutes per game, earning himself a substantial raise on his next deal to stay in Montreal. He was drafted by the Canadiens in 1998, played over 1000 games (including playoffs) in red and blue, then retired in 2017.
 
 
12. Phillip Danault
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	F
Date:	2018-07-15		Age July 1st:	25
Term:	3 years		Playoff GP:	28
Total Money:	$9.3M		Playoff PTS:	5
Cap Hit:	$3.1M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	9.4	205	124	336
Per 82 GP	3.1	82	50	134	17.9

"First-, second- or third-line centre, I’ll be ready. And with how much money I have I’m really happy to be here three more years."

– Phillip Danault

Phillip Danault had scored at a 40-point pace over his first two seasons in Montreal, after Marc Bergevin swung a miraculous trade sending Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weiss to Chicago for Danault and a 2nd round pick (that became Alexander Romanov). When Danault needed a new contract at age 25, the Habs locked the center into a 3-year term at a fair price given his production.
 
Year one saw him breakout with a 53-point campaign, setting a new career high after finding success on a line with Tatar and Gallagher. His production on this deal is easily worth double the price he’s being paid, even receiving Selke trophy buzz in year two (Danault was trending on Twitter when Sean Couturier won the 2020 Selke). Phil procured a $33M contract from Los Angeles when this concluded.
 
 
13. Brendan Gallagher
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	F
Date:	2014-11-29		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	6 years		Playoff GP:	33
Total Money:	$22.5M		Playoff PTS:	12
Cap Hit:	$3.75M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	24.2	375	241	1272
Per 82 GP	4.0	82	53	278	16.1

"It's never about the money. The most important thing for me was getting the six years. When that was proposed, I was just excited to have the opportunity to continue to build on what we have.”

– Brendan Gallagher

Marc Bergevin must have softened his stance on mandatory bridge deals coming out of entry level (not sure if PK Subban’s Norris trophy had anything to do with that), when he inked Brendan Gallagher to a 6-year extension in 2014. Gallagher is a spark plug and high-volume shooter who made a big impact on his ELC, earning himself a long-term deal.
 
Injuries limited the first 2 seasons, bottoming out with 29 PTS in 64 GP in year two. He’s managed to stay mostly healthy ever since, and offensively has elevated his production even higher, surpassing 50 PTS and 220 shots three times. Brendan could have possibly made more money if he bet on himself with a shorter bridge deal, but still can’t complain. Any money he left on the table was paid back on his next pact, which you can read about on Montreal's worst contracts list.
 
 
14. Max Domi
 

Signed By:	Marc Bergevin		Position:	F
Date:	2018-06-16		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	6
Total Money:	$6.3M		Playoff PTS:	3
Cap Hit:	$3.15M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	6.5	153	116	382
Per 82 GP	3.2	82	62	205	17.2

"Of course I was a little bit shocked. But it's a lot of emotion, some sadness, and mostly excitement and goodness. So I can't wait to get started. I'm absolutely pumped."

– Max Domi

Max Domi’s stock had declined over the course of his ELC in Phoenix Arizona, prompting the Coyotes to trade him to Montreal for fellow enigmatic young gun Alex Galchenyuk. Marc Bergevin inked Max to this low-cost bridge deal the very next day (similar to what Garbiel Pageau had signed a year earlier in Ottawa). Teammate Phillip Danault signed an almost identical deal one month later, but received an extra year.
 
The gamble paid off. While Galchenyuk’s production declined, Domi had a breakout performance in year one, exploding up to 72 PTS. His output diminished in year two, but still produced positive value. He was traded during the offseason to Columbus for Josh Anderson, and signed a 2-year deal with the Blue Jackets that will walk him to unrestricted free agency.
 
 
15. David Desharnais
 

Signed By:	Pierre Gauthier		Position:	F
Date:	2011-06-20		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	5
Total Money:	$1.7M		Playoff PTS:	1
Cap Hit:	$850K		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	2.2	129	88	164
Per 82 GP	1.1	82	56	104	17.7

“We are pleased to have reached a two-year agreement with David. Since joining our club midway through last season, David has shown that he has the potential to play at the NHL level and contribute offensively to the success of our team”

– Pierre Gauthier

David Desharnais had only played 49 games in the NHL, scoring 23 PTS, when he inked this cheap bridge deal. The young center had split his time between the AHL and Montreal, delivering a respectable performance when given the opportunity. As an undrafted free agent with very little experience, he had no leverage in negotiations.
 
David came out of nowhere in year one to land a job centering Erik Cole and Max Pacioretty on one of their top lines, averaged over 3 minutes per game on the power play, rocketing up to 60 PTS. It might have been a great bargain, but using Desharnais as their #2 center didn’t translate into team success, finishing with the 3rd worst record in the league. They reduced his usage in year two of this contract and made the playoffs. He’s a very competitive player and fun to watch.