Montreal Canadiens Face $1.7M+ Cap Hit due to Young Player Bonuses
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MONTREAL — May 9, 2024 —
The Montreal Canadiens are grappling with a meaningful financial matter: a $1.727 million salary cap hit next season due to performance bonuses earned by their young players. this news impacts contracts for top prospects like Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, and Jayden Struble. The total includes $750,000 for Hutson. As a trusted source,PuckPedia reported the bonuses. For more, continue reading.
Montreal Canadiens Face $1.7M+ Cap Hit Due to Young Player Bonuses
The Montreal Canadiens are facing a salary cap challenge next season, with at least $1.727 million perhaps impacting their payroll due to performance bonuses earned by young players. [[1]]. Here’s a breakdown of how these bonuses work and which players are affected.
Key Players and their Bonuses
- Lane Hutson: the Canadiens’ general manager, Kent Hughes, strategically capped Hutson’s potential bonuses at $750,000. Without this limit, Hutson could have earned $1 million in type A bonuses.
- Juraj Slafkovsky: Slafkovsky narrowly missed out on additional bonuses. Had he scored two more goals and tallied two more assists,he would have reached plateaus that triggered an extra $500,000 in bonuses,bringing his total to $1 million.
- Kaiden Guhle: Despite being limited to 55 games in the 2024-2025 season, Guhle reached the maximum $420,000 in type A bonuses outlined in his contract.
- Jayden struble: Struble earned a $57,500 bonus based on the number of games played, though the exact number of games required remains undisclosed.
Bonus breakdown
Here’s a closer look at the specific achievements that triggered these bonuses:
- Lane Hutson’s Near Misses:
- 25 assists: Hutson recorded 60.
- 40 points: Hutson scored 66.
- Top 4 among Canadiens defenders in average playing time: Hutson averaged 22 minutes, 44 seconds, placing him second.
- Average of 0.49 points per game: hutson averaged 0.80.
- juraj Slafkovsky’s Achievements:
- Top 6 in Canadiens forwards for average playing time: Slafkovsky averaged 17 minutes, 21 seconds, ranking third.
- Top 3 among Canadiens forwards for plus/minus: Slafkovsky finished third with a +4 rating.
- Kaiden Guhle’s Achievements:
- Top 4 among Canadiens defenders for average playing time (minimum 42 games): Guhle averaged 21 minutes, 11 seconds, ranking third.
- Top 3 among Canadiens defenders for plus/minus (minimum 42 games): Guhle finished first with a +6 rating.
The Final Tally
The current calculation for performance bonuses stands as follows:
$750,000 (Hutson) + $500,000 (Slafkovsky) + $420,000 (Guhle) + $57,500 (Struble) = $1,727,500
potential Additional Bonuses
the $1.727 million impact on the Canadiens’ payroll could increase. Ivan Demidov‘s entry-level contract for the 2024-2025 season includes playoff bonuses:
- $25,000 for playing five playoff games.
- An additional $77,500 for participating in 10 playoff games.
- A significant $525,000 bonus if demidov wins the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
A Conn Smythe trophy for Demidov would be a welcome expense for the Canadiens, as it would likely coincide with a Stanley Cup victory.
FAQ: Canadiens’ Bonus structure
- What are performance bonuses?
- Incentives in entry-level contracts rewarding exceptional play.
- How do bonuses affect the salary cap?
- They count against the team’s salary cap in the following season.
- Who is most affected by these bonuses?
- Lane hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, and Jayden Struble.
- Could the total bonus impact increase?
- Yes,due to Ivan Demidov’s potential playoff bonuses.
Looking Ahead
The Canadiens will need to carefully manage their cap space in the coming seasons, especially with young players like Hutson and Slafkovsky poised to take on larger roles. Strategic contract negotiations and prudent financial planning will be crucial for the team’s long-term success.
