The Montreal Canadiens are set to enter their first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a notably low payroll of approximately $27 million below the NHL salary cap. This payroll situation is contingent upon several players remaining out of the lineup, including Brendan Gallagher, Patrik Laine, and Joe Veleno.
Canadiens’ Payroll Context
If Gallagher, Laine, and others are not on the ice, the Canadiens will have the smallest payroll in the NHL at the start of their playoff journey. Currently, their total payroll stands at $68,645,000, a staggering $26,855,000 below the playoff salary cap of $95.5 million set for this season.
NHL Salary Cap Details
This year marks a historic first for the NHL, as the league has implemented a playoff salary cap. The cap is designed to curb potential abuses of the long-term injured reserve list by teams. The salary calculations for the playoffs include the average annual salaries of 20 active roster players, excluding any player who is not in the lineup. Additional factors such as performance bonuses and salary retention penalties also play a significant role in the calculations.
Projected Roster and Salaries
Below is the projected roster for the Canadiens’ first playoff game against the Lightning, along with their respective salaries:
| Position | Player | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | Nick Suzuki | $7,875,000 |
| Forward | Cole Caufield | $7,850,000 |
| Forward | Juraj Slafkovsky | $7,600,000 |
| Forward | Phillip Danault | $5,500,000 |
| Forward | Josh Anderson | $5,500,000 |
| Forward | Kirby Dach | $3,362,500 |
| Forward | Alex Newhook | $2,900,000 |
| Forward | Jake Evans | $2,850,000 |
| Forward | Alexandre Texier | $1,000,000 |
| Forward | Ivan Demidov | $940,833 |
| Forward | Oliver Kapanen | $925,000 |
| Forward | Zachary Bolduc | $863,334 |
| Defense | Kaiden Guhle | $5,550,000 |
| Defense | Mike Matheson | $4,875,000 |
| Defense | Alexandre Carrier | $3,750,000 |
| Defense | Jayden Struble | $1,412,500 |
| Defense | Arber Xhekaj | $1,300,000 |
| Defense | Lane Hutson | $950,000 |
| Goalie | Jakub Dobes | $965,000 |
| Goalie | Jacob Fowler | $923,333 |
In total, the Canadiens’ roster consists of a carefully calculated payroll, which includes performance bonuses of $1,752,500 from the 2024-2025 season carried over as a penalty. This financial flexibility will be crucial as they prepare to face off against a formidable opponent in the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Comparative Payroll Analysis
According to analysts at PuckPedia, the Canadiens’ playoff payroll is the lowest among the 16 participating teams. In comparison, the Pittsburgh Penguins follow closely with a payroll of $73.55 million. This significant payroll gap highlights the Canadiens’ strategic approach to the playoffs.
