Pat Hickey: Cole Caufield deal may be shut, however will he be smoking a cigar?

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Most Canadiens’ followers are fixated on the crew’s negotiations with sniper Cole Caufield.

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Will he get a most eight-year deal value $9 million a season?

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Not Probably. Nick Suzuki signed a max cope with an annual cap hit of $7.87 million and the Canadiens aren’t inclined to pay Caufield extra.

But when they will agree on the cash, a max deal could be useful for each events. It could give the Canadiens a measure of financial certainty, whereas offering Caufield with long-term safety. Whereas no participant desires to consider accidents, they’re a actuality of the sport. A shoulder harm ended Caufield’s season and, whereas the harm wasn’t career-threatening, there are at all times dangers in a warp-speed contact sport. That’s notably true when you find yourself a smaller participant with a goal on his again.

However the cash is an issue. Whereas some folks really feel $9 million is cheap for a participant who was on tempo to attain 46 objectives, Caufield has performed solely 143 NHL video games counting playoffs, and there’s nonetheless room for improvement in his sport, notably on defence.

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If the 2 sides don’t agree on a max deal — my pal Tony Marinaro says they’re shut — it wouldn’t be a tragedy if he signed a bridge deal within the $5-7 million vary. He may take a one-year deal and have the added leverage of arbitration rights subsequent summer time. He’s 5 seasons away from changing into an unrestricted free agent and that offers him time to shine his credentials. And, as a bonus, there may be more cash to go round with anticipated will increase within the wage cap.

There may be the specter of a crew tendering a proposal sheer if Caufield isn’t signed by July 1, however no one ought to lose any sleep over this risk as a result of, until the provide is effectively north of $8 million, the Canadiens will match it.

Whereas Caufield has garnered a lot of the consideration, basic supervisor Kent Hughes has to cope with one other diminutive scorer who’s deserving of a considerable elevate.

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Rafaël Harvey-Pinard stepped up after Caufield was injured and put up some numbers that agent Phil Lecavalier can work with if these negotiations go to arbitration.

Lecavalier grew to become Harvey-Pinard’s agent earlier this 12 months and his presence provides an additional dimension to the contract talks. Hughes served as Lecavalier’s mentor when he grew to become an agent. Lecavalier’s youthful brother, longtime Tampa Bay Lightning star Vincent Lecavalier, works for the Canadiens as a particular assistant for hockey operations.

Harvey-Pinard scored 14 objectives and added six assists in 34 video games and was on tempo for a 33-goal season.

His capturing proportion of 24.1 per cent was one of the best on the crew — Caufield was at 16.5 per cent. He was ninth in crew scoring and fifth in goal-scoring regardless of his restricted participation.

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Extra importantly, he was greater than a one-trick pony. He performed at each ends of the ice, killed penalties and, on a crew affected by minus gamers, he tied with Mike Matheson for one of the best plus/minus numbers on the crew at plus-7.

The one potential draw back going ahead is Harvey-Pinard might not have the identical alternative to showcase his expertise going ahead. It’s one factor to play on the highest line with Suzuki and Josh Anderson and one other to be a bottom-six line with Jake Evans and the newly signed Michael Pezzetta.

Harvey-Pinard had a two-way cope with an $825,000 cap hit final season, which suggests he earned lower than $400,000 for his time within the NHL. This time round, the minimal ought to be a one-way deal and Lecavalier ought to be asking his former boss for a wage near $2 million.

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