On the eve of NHL training camps, the Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks made a trade. The Canadiens sent goaltender Casey DeSmith to the Canucks for Tanner Pearson and a 2025 3rd round draft pick.
There was no salary retained in the trade.
Full trade, per sources:
To #Habs: Tanner Pearson, 2025 3rd Round Pick
To #Canucks: Casey DeSmithNo salary retained.@DailyFaceoff
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 19, 2023
As part of the deal and to account for the difference in salary and so there was no retention involved, the Canucks sent a 3rd round draft pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to Montreal.
#Canucks are sending a 3rd round pick along with Tanner Pearson to #Habs in exchange for Casey DeSmith.
The pick is to account for the difference in salary between DeSmith and Pearson.@DailyFaceoff
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 19, 2023
It was just a matter of time before the Canadiens were going to make a trade. After acquiring Casey DeSmith from the Penguins as part of the three-team blockbuster trade that sent Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh from San Jose, many were wondering if the Canadiens were going to keep three goalies.
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On Tuesday evening, the hockey world got the answer. DeSmith did not even make it to training camp for Montreal before being dealt. It was a crowded crease in Montreal with Sam Montembault and Jake Allen. Not to mention Cayden Primeau in the minors.
Not to mention general manager Kent Hughes had the ability to do this without putting Carey Price‘s salary on LTIR.
And in case you were wondering, #Habs have plenty of cap room – they won’t need to place Carey Price on off-season LTIR in order to make this transaction work.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 19, 2023
Traded to VAN https://t.co/hpwjy8o1rC
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) September 19, 2023
Pearson is coming off a hand injury last season with the Canucks. During the 2022-23 campaign, he recorded five points (one goal and four assists) in 14 games. There were questions entering this season for Vancouver about Pearson’s health. Pearson is ready to go after having multiple surgeries near his wrist. Now he gets a fresh start with the team he got injured against.
The Canadiens will have to get under the salary cap before the season starts. Right now Montreal is 10 percent over the cap which they are allowed to do in the offseason.
The Canadiens will need to cut four players just to get to the 23-man roster limit.
That could bring them within 2M or so from the cap.
They could temporarily send waiver-exempt players like Xhekaj, Harris, Guhle or Harvey-Pinard down to Laval to start the year.
But why?
— Marco D’Amico (@mndamico) September 19, 2023
The only bad thing about this outcome however, is that the Canadiens would be using LTIR to be cap-compliant yet again this season.
That means they wouldn’t be able to accrue cap space throughout the season.
There very well could be another move coming.
— Marco D’Amico (@mndamico) September 19, 2023
Expect another move to come.