On the Montreal Canadiens …
Eric Engels: Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergervin continues to say that if Alexander Radulov and Andrei Markov want to return to the Habs next season, the door is open, but it will be on the Canadiens terms.
Bergevin said that there are no free agents left that would be options for them if they weren’t able to re-sign Radulov and Markov.
Bergevin said that they have “made really good offers.”
Bergevin (in French) on what Radulov had been asking for.
“If I told you what Radulov’s agent was asking in January, you’d fall off your chair.”
Bergevin said that they have made final offers to both.
“There’s no negotiation.”
Eric Engels of Sportsnet: While Carey Price‘s extension does kick in until after next season, the Canadiens will still have difficulty fitting in both Alexander Radulov and Andrei Markov’s if the Canadiens gave them what they wanted.
“If I bend to their demands, there’s no way I can bring them both back,” Bergevin said.
Markov is reportedly asking for a two year deal at $6 million a season.
Losing Radulov could be filled by the prior acquisition of Jonathan Drouin, and the signing of Karl Alzner could replace Markov.
Bergevin after signing Price to his eight-year, $84 million contract extension yesterday.
“Nobody has a goaltender like Carey Price in the league,” Bergevin said. “There’s a saying we use, goalies are not important until you don’t have one. You see what’s going on around the league with teams who are looking for goaltenders, and it’s really hard to do. So it’s a position that’s hard to find and we have, in our opinion, one of the best in the business—if not the best—so we’re going to keep him and make sure he’s here for the rest of his career.”
