The Montreal Canadiens have reached a point where having salary cap flexibility can become a weapon. Kent Hughes does not necessarily need to make another major addition before the start of the 2026-27 season, but if another team’s cap situation creates an opportunity, the Canadiens are in a position to take advantage. The Anaheim Ducks might be exactly the team worth calling.
After matching the massive offer sheet signed by Leo Carlsson, Anaheim suddenly has some difficult decisions to make. With Cutter Gauthier still needing a new contract, veterans such as Chris Kreider and Alex Killorn could become available for significantly less than their usual trade value.
Ducks Facing a Difficult Salary Cap Situation
The Ducks entered the offseason with plenty of flexibility, but things changed quickly when Carlsson signed an offer sheet worth $18 million per season. Anaheim ultimately decided to match it and keep its young star, but doing so dramatically changed the team’s salary cap outlook.
It also indirectly made negotiations with Gauthier more difficult. After watching Carlsson land such a massive contract, Gauthier and his representatives have another significant comparable to point toward. Whatever the final number ends up being, Anaheim needs to create enough room to comfortably fit Gauthier’s next contract.
Anaheim Ducks Chris Kreider celebrates with Alex Killorn, Leo Carlsson and Jackson LaCombe after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
The Ducks currently have a little more than $9 million in cap space, meaning moving salary could quickly become a necessity rather than a choice.
That’s where Montreal enters the conversation. The Canadiens have more than $9 million in available cap space themselves and don’t have an immediate need to spend all of it. Hughes could simply carry that flexibility into the season, but he could also use it to take advantage of a team with significantly less leverage.
Why Not Take Advantage?
Two contracts immediately stand out on Anaheim’s roster: Kreider and Killorn. Kreider carries a $6.5 million cap hit while Killorn is at $6.25 million, and both are entering the final year of their respective contracts. If Anaheim wants to create significant space with one move, either veteran would make sense as a trade candidate.
Normally, acquiring a player of Kreider’s calibre would require a legitimate return. But this isn’t necessarily a normal trade situation. Every other general manager around the NHL knows Anaheim needs additional room for Gauthier. The Ducks would have very little leverage if they reach the point where they absolutely have to move one of those contracts.
Montreal shouldn’t be interested in paying full price. The entire point would be to capitalize on the situation and potentially acquire a useful veteran for a mid-to-late-round pick or another relatively inexpensive asset. It wouldn’t necessarily be about Kreider or Killorn being long-term pieces of Montreal’s core. It would be about finding short-term value while using cap space that the Canadiens already have available. If Anaheim becomes desperate enough, Hughes should at least make the call.
Why It Makes Sense for the Canadiens
The biggest reason such a move would make sense is the lack of long-term risk. Both Kreider and Killorn are entering the final season of their contracts. Montreal wouldn’t be sacrificing future cap flexibility or committing significant money to an aging player for multiple seasons.
If the experiment works, the Canadiens add another useful veteran for what they hope will be another lengthy playoff run. If it doesn’t, the contract disappears at the end of the season. If Montreal isn’t in the position it expects to be around the trade deadline, Kreider or Killorn could potentially be flipped to another contender. Depending on their performance, the Canadiens could theoretically acquire one for a minimal return during the summer and recover an asset by moving him later.
Both players would also bring something useful to Montreal’s lineup. Killorn has extensive playoff experience from his years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, including two Stanley Cup. He would add size, grit and experience to a Canadiens team whose core remains relatively young.
Kreider would offer something different. Even late in his career, his ability to get around the net and finish scoring opportunities could give Montreal another dangerous option in the middle six and on special teams.
Neither player should be viewed as a must-have addition. The Canadiens don’t need to bail Anaheim out of its cap problems. But that’s precisely why the situation is interesting. Montreal has the cap space, Anaheim might need it, and Hughes can afford to wait until the price becomes attractive. If the Ducks eventually have to sell low to get Gauthier’s extension done, the Canadiens should be one of the teams ready to capitalize.
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