Teams checking in on Shane Pinto‘s availability. The cost for the Bruins and others would be high
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: A source has said that teams are checking with the Ottawa Senators about the potential cost for restricted free agent forward Shane Pinto.
The source said that he would expect that the Bruins are one of those teams inquiring.
Bruce Garrioch reported that there is a “significant gap to bridge.
The source added that the Senators may be willing to listen on Pinto as they may believe Ridly Greig (2021 first-round pick 28th overall) could be better than Pinto. The cost to acquire Pinto would be high.
“Ottawa wants to make the playoffs, but they’re up against the cap, so we’re talking high-end prospects that could crack the roster this season,” the source told BHN. “That’s probably Fabian Lysell and Johnny Beecher.”
Carey Price‘s contract making some things difficult for the Canadiens
Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette: Carey Price has three years left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $10.5 million. In order for the Montreal Canadiens to maximize their cap space, they are hoping to be able to put Price on their in-season LTIR and not off-season LTIR.
“If we put Carey Price on offseason LTI his money’s gone and then we lose the flexibility during the year, which we did last year with all the injuries, and with the recalls and bonus money we get into overages, which carry the cap cost into the following year,” Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said during a video conference last month.
“So with each passing year we’re going to be more and more mindful wherever we can to try not to do that and to preserve Carey,” Hughes continued. “The unfortunate part is if we don’t put him on LTIR until in-season, it’s pretty hard to use $10.5 million of his money in-season. LTI isn’t a perfect situation for any team. I know some people think it’s simple and you just use the money that that player’s salary was occupying, but it’s a little bit more complicated.”
The Canadiens would have some work to do to get under the cap as they sit at $88,227,916 (23 man roster) with Price rostered and the ceiling is $83.5 million. Some players could be sent to the AHL to clear salary.