Canadiens’ Noah Dobson A Game-Time Decision For Game 7
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson will take part in warmups and be a game-time decision to play tonight, head coach Martin St. Louis told the media today. The news comes as the Canadiens are set for a do-or-die game seven against the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight.
Dobson has been out since April 11 with an upper-body injury. It was initially announced that he would be “re-evaluated in two weeks” after he suffered his injury, meaning this current return window fits within the original projections. St. Louis expressed confidence that if Dobson feels he is able to play, he will be able to do so without limitation.
If the Canadiens do indeed get Dobson back tonight, it would be a significant boost to their lineup. First and foremost, he is one of the team’s top defensemen. The former Islanders rearguard had a strong debut campaign in Montreal, scoring 12 goals and 47 points.
He put up those numbers despite the fact that he does not quarterback the team’s No. 1 power play unit – Lane Hutson occupied that role almost all season. Dobson also skated in two minutes per game on the penalty kill, and averaged 22:29 per game overall. When he has been paired with veteran Mike Matheson, his pairing has soaked up the most difficult matchups for the Canadiens.
Dobson’s return would improve the Canadiens not only because of his own personal ability, but also due to the impact it would have on the overall formation of the team’s blueline. Montreal currently only has one healthy right-shot blueliner in their lineup. Both Hutson and Arber Xhekaj have had to play on their off-side as a result, and while Hutson has shown he can still be effective playing from the right, he is at his best playing from the left.
Dobson’s return, if it happens, may not actually shift Hutson back to the left. He may still end up paired with Kaiden Guhle, or perhaps may stay on the right and return to playing next to Jayden Struble. Struble played his best hockey of 2025-26 when paired with Hutson, showing a greater level of confidence and decisiveness.
In any case, a Dobson return would at the very least mean one fewer Canadien will be playing on his off-side.
It’s not immediately clear where, if healthy, Dobson might slot into Montreal’s lineup. St. Louis has been somewhat flexible with defensive pairings this season, and so partnerships are not fully set in stone. With that said, St. Louis may not be eager to make too many drastic changes in advance of a must-win game, so it’ll be interesting to see who he decides to partner with Dobson if Dobson is able to dress tonight.
Photos courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Cole Caufield, Anže Kopitar, Jake Sanderson Named Lady Byng Finalists
The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2026 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The trophy is presented annually to the player who exhibits a high standard of sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and playing ability. This year’s finalists are Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, Los Angeles Kings centerman Anže Kopitar, and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson.
Kopitar has won the Lady Byng three times, including in 2023 and 2025. He has exemplified sportsmanship and leadership through 10 seasons as the Kings’ captain. That run came to a peak this season as the 38-year-old Kopitar went on his final tour around the league. In what was the planned finale to his career, he scored 12 goals and 38 points in 67 games and helped Los Angeles push into their fifth consecutive playoff berth. After a first-round exit at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche, Kopitar officially announced his retirement after 20 seasons in the league. He was a perennial 60-point scorer who reached as high as 92 points at his peak.
While Lady Byng voting will be based on this season, it will be hard not to consider Kopitar’s legacy in Los Angeles. One more Lady Byng win would tie him with Pavel Datsyuk for the most since 2000. Red Kelly also won four times between 1951 and 1961. Wayne Gretzky won the Lady Byng five times between 1980 and 1999. The all-time record holder is Frank Boucher, who won the trophy seven times in eight years between 1928 and 1935. Boucher’s run of wins let him take home the original Lady Byng Trophy and prompted the creation of the Memorial Trophy.
Caufield receives his first finalist bid for the Lady Byng this season, after finishing 64th and 34th in voting in the last two seasons respectively. The Canadiens’ star winger is predominantly known for big smiles and great goal-scoring, two traits that ramped up as he achieved a breakout 51 goals and 88 points in 81 games this season. Caufield became the first Canadiens player to cross the 50-goal mark since Stephane Richer in 1990. He also led the league with 12 game-winning goals. That performance helped boost Canadiens center Nick Suzuki to his first 100-point campaign and brought Montreal into their second consecutive postseason. Caufield does not wear a letter for Montreal but the impact of his personality on and off of the ice is still top class. Even if he does not win the Lady Byng this season, a nomination at the age of 25 speaks to Caufield’s chances at one day cementing the trophy.
The same can be said for the 23-year-old Sanderson, who stepped into Ottawa’s top defense role with a breakout season. Sanderson finished the year with 14 goals and 54 points in 67 games. He averaged nearly 25 minutes of ice time a night, in part thanks to the string of injuries that plagued fellow top defenseman Thomas Chabot – who missed 25 games. Only seven players averaged more ice time than Sanderson at even-strength. He also ranked in the top-15 of penalty-killing time per game. His ability to step into a major role for Ottawa, intermixed with a Gold Medal win with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, make Sanderson a great candidate for multiple nominations this award season.
Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Dobson, Der-Arguchintsev
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk took center stage Wednesday during his end-of-season press conference, using the time to forcefully shut down growing speculation regarding his future with the club. While the rest of the team’s end-of-season press conference was held on Monday after the Carolina Hurricanes swept the Senators, Tkachuk was delayed to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Lyla. During the discussions, Tkachuk wasted little time addressing trade rumors that he labeled a “distraction.”
“I feel like I’ve never shown, never said, none of those things have ever come out of my mouth, and quite honestly, it’s just getting frustrating,” Tkachuk said. “I have been fully committed to this team, to this city.”
General Manager Steve Staios echoed that sentiment earlier in the week, calling the rumors “nonsense.” Tkachuk, 26, is under contract for two more seasons and finished the year with 59 points in 60 games. Despite his regular-season production, he was held scoreless in the opening-round sweep, a result he admitted was a “big shot in the confidence.” He plans to meet with Staios following the U18 World Championships to discuss how to improve the roster for next season.
Additional notes around the Atlantic:
- The Montreal Canadiens received a significant boost during Wednesday’s optional skate as defenseman Noah Dobson returned to the ice. Dobson has been sidelined since April 11 after blocking a shot with his left hand, an injury that forced him to miss the start of the Canadiens’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While he skated individually and has yet to be cleared for full contact, his presence is a major step forward for a Habs blueline that has relied heavily on Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson in his absence.
- Former Maple Leafs prospect Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is reportedly interested in a return to the NHL after a productive stint in the KHL. His agent, Shumi Babaev, confirmed that they have already reached out to the organization to express a desire to rejoin the system. “Semyon is considering the option of returning to Toronto,” Babaev told R.org’s Daria Tuboltseva. “We contacted former general manager Brad Treliving and expressed our desire to return to the club’s system. Now we are waiting for the appointment of a new general manager and to understand his position.” Der-Arguchintsev, 25, recorded 37 points in 59 KHL games this season.
Montreal Canadiens Reassign David Reinbacher
After last night’s Game 4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they’ve reassigned defenseman David Reinbacher to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. The Rocket will begin the Division Semifinals against the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday.
Reinbacher, 21, was recalled with only a few games remaining in the regular season. The former fifth overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft debuted over that time, registering one assist in two games while averaging 13:09 of ice time. The Canadiens sheltered him quite a bit, as Reinbacher began 75.0% of his shifts in the offensive zone.
In the postseason, Montreal has expectedly relied on more veteran options. Even if the team experienced an injury or two, it was unlikely that they would have relied on Reinbacher in any meaningful capacity. The Canadiens are already without Noah Dobson for the time being, but have used depth defensemen Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj instead. Furthermore, Montreal still has youngster Adam Engstrom on the roster, who likely would have been the next man up.
If Laval is eliminated from the playoffs by the Marlies, or if the Canadiens suffer additional injuries on the blue line, then a case should be made for Reinbacher to return to the NHL as a Black Ace at the very least. He had a solid season in the AHL after recovering from injury, scoring five goals and 24 points in 57 games with a +18 rating.
Regardless, he’ll now help the Rocket defeat their North Division rivals. Since relocating to Laval ahead of the 2017-18 season, the Rocket have advanced to the Eastern Conference Final twice, losing to the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2022 and the Charlotte Checkers last year.
Canadiens’ Alexander Zharovsky Remaining In KHL For 2026-27
The Canadiens’ young lineup still has a few notable pieces on the way. They’ll have to wait at least one more season to see one of them, though. Winger Alexander Zharovsky, last year’s 34th overall pick, confirmed Sunday that he’s remaining with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the Kontinental Hockey League to honor the final season of his contract in Russia (via Marco D’Amico of RG).
Zharovsky already looks like one of the steals of the 2025 class. Touted as a late-first-round talent by a few, most still expected him to be available with the Habs’ pick at 34.
He responded with a spectacular rookie season in the KHL this year after playing out his draft season in Russia’s junior circuit. Zharovsky was a three-time Rookie of the Month and was named to the league’s All-Star Game. With 16 goals and 42 points in 59 games, Zharovsky ranked third on Salavat in scoring and was second in points per game.
Even with some big-time names graduating over the last two seasons, the Habs still have a top-10 prospect pool in the league. Zharovsky’s standout 2025-26 campaign was enough to elevate him to #3 in the organization, per The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler – ahead of stagnating 2023 fifth overall pick David Reinbacher – and have him well-positioned to be a top-six contributor for Montreal in a couple of years’ time.
But unlike some high-profile Russian names over the past couple of years, it doesn’t appear there will be an early exit from Zharovsky’s overseas contractual obligations. Since the NHL doesn’t have a transfer agreement with the KHL, teams can’t sign their Russian prospects while they’re actively under contract with KHL clubs. Doing so requires the player and club to agree to terminate the deal – often at great cost to the player if not agreed to mutually.
Canadiens’ Noah Dobson Resumes Skating
Already with a one-game edge in the series, the Montreal Canadiens are inching closer to returning one of their top defenseman. Earlier today, Luc Gélinas of RDS reported that defenseman Noah Dobson has resumed skating.
Dobson, 26, has been out for the last few weeks with a lower-body injury. Before missing the last three games of the regular season, and the first three of Montreal’s Round One matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dobson was exactly what the Canadiens hoped he would be.
He finished second on the team in scoring among defensemen, and sixth overall, with 12 goals and 47 points in 80 games with a +5 rating, averaging 22:29 of ice time per game. Additionally, he was third among Canadiens defensemen in CorsiFor% at even strength, and had the second most takeaways on the team.
Should he return toward the back half of this series, it would undoubtedly give Montreal a larger edge over Tampa Bay. The Lightning are already without their captain, Victor Hedman, due to illness. Reports from a few days ago indicated that Hedman is doubtful to play in the Bolts’ opening round matchup.
For the time being, the Canadiens have been deploying Alexandre Carrier in Dobson’s stead. He hasn’t looked out of place, registering one assist in three games while averaging over 23 minutes of ice time, largely due to the multiple trips into overtime. Additionally, Carrier is tied for the team lead in blocked shots (10) with fellow blue liner Mike Matheson.
Transaction Notes: Miller, Okhotyuk, Robins
Montreal Canadiens prospect Quentin Miller transferred from the University of Denver to Western Michigan University a week ago, Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reported. He is one of two Canadiens goalie prospects to transfer this week, as 2025 fifth-rounder Alexis Cournoyer left Cornell University to join the Wisconsin Badgers on April 20. Miller, 21, was a fourth-round pick of the Canadiens at the 2023 draft. He won a QMJHL title and Memorial Cup as a backup with the Quebec Ramparts, and has been a tandem goalie at multiple levels for much of his time since being drafted.
Miller went 12-10-2 in 25 games for Denver this season, posting a .916 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average, but lost the No. 1 goalie spot to freshman sensation Johnny Hicks. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler recently ranked Miller the No. 14 prospect in the Canadiens’ system, writing “The Habs will likely want to see him be the guy somewhere before they commit to signing him.” Miller has a clear lane to being the undisputed No. 1 in Kalamazoo – last year’s starter Hampton Slukynsky has turned pro after two years in college and incoming freshman Owen Lepak hasn’t been a team’s starter since 2023-24, when he led the NAHL’s Maryland Black Bears to the Robertson Cup Final.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- Former Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils defenseman Nikita Okhotyuk signed a three-year contract extension in the KHL, keeping him in Russia through May 2029. The Flames still hold Okhotyuk’s signing rights since they qualified him when his last NHL contract expired. The 25-year-old defenseman played in nine games as a Flame and has played in 67 career games at the NHL level, split between Calgary, New Jersey, and San Jose. Over the last two seasons with CSKA Moscow, Okhotyuk has skated in 129 contests and scored 23 points.
- Former San Jose Sharks prospect Tristen Robins plans to sign in North America for 2026-27, according to an official announcement from his former club Rytíři Kladno. Robins was a second-round pick of the Sharks in 2020 and skated in a total of 150 AHL games while a member of the organization. Robins looked to be pushing for an NHL role as recently as 2023, when he scored 38 points in 62 games as an AHL rookie. He earned three NHL games that season and was ranked as the organization’s No. 7 prospect by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. He wasn’t able to build on that rookie campaign and ended up dealt from the Sharks organization in 2025. Playing on a one-year deal in the Czech league, Robins scored 18 goals and 35 points in 45 games, and will hope to earn another shot in an NHL organization this fall.
What Will The Canadiens Do With Zachary Bolduc?
The Canadiens are tied at one game apiece in their first-round series against the Lightning. They have a number of healthy scratches at forward thanks to their depth, but one young player is looking to leave an impression and avoid sitting out for any length of time.
Zachary Bolduc is a talented forward and pending restricted free agent who is sure to get a raise this summer as his entry-level contract wraps up. How much he gets will depend on several factors, primarily the term he and the Canadiens agree to, as well as where Montreal sees him in the foreseeable future.
When you read that statement, the first thought is: where does Bolduc slot into Montreal’s lineup? There is also the possibility that Montreal uses Bolduc and other assets to try to land a premier second-line center.
Alternatively, Bolduc remains with Montreal into next year and signs a new deal. But does that come in the form of a short-term bridge deal, or have the Canadiens seen enough to ink him long term?
It’s no secret that Montreal wants to address the second-line center position to ease some of the pressure on first-line pivot Nick Suzuki. This season, the Habs relied heavily on Oliver Kapanen, who filled in admirably but has at times been exposed, prompting Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis to shelter him.
Kapanen has also benefited from a PDO well over 100, which has masked some of his shortcomings and made it more tolerable to keep him in the top six. Another season with that kind of luck seems unlikely, so Montreal needs to act this summer, especially with Michael Hage returning to the NCAA for another year. Montreal doesn’t exactly have an internal solution to fill the 2C slot at the moment.
Could Bolduc be part of a package to acquire a center? It depends on which player the Canadiens target. If they covet Robert Thomas of the Blues, St. Louis would surely love to reacquire him after he tallied 19 goals and 36 points for them as a rookie in 2024-25 before being dealt to Montreal last summer. If the Habs are looking elsewhere for a Nico Hischier-type player, Bolduc could be part of a package that includes other prospects and one or two draft picks.
What if the Canadiens see Bolduc as a potential top-six fixture? It would be easy to see why, given his offensive abilities and physical presence.
Bolduc has an excellent shot and is a natural goal-scorer who gets into the forecheck and can be difficult to play against. However, as good as he can be, there are questions about consistency and on-ice results.
The 23-year-old had 12 goals and 18 assists in 78 games this year, but much of his scoring came in bunches. There were several five-game (or longer) stretches throughout the year when Bolduc produced no offense, and his physicality was inconsistent as well.
A perfect example is a stretch from Dec. 24 to March 25, during which Bolduc produced exactly zero goals and just nine assists in 31 games. On March 26, he ended his goalless drought at 31 games with a goal and an assist against the Blue Jackets, but then proceeded to be held pointless for another seven games before a two-point game against the Islanders on April 12. It’s that sort of inconsistency and wild variation in production that will give the Canadiens pause about a long-term deal for Bolduc, making a bridge contract far likelier.
What might that look like? Based on AFP Analytics’ projections, something in the range of $3.588MM per year on a two-year deal would make sense.
That wouldn’t be a problem for Montreal, given where they are compared to the salary cap. A short-term deal would give the Canadiens more time to assess what they have in Bolduc and determine whether he’s part of the future or a piece they can leverage to fill other gaps on their roster.
But how does the bridge contract AAV compare to a long-term contract, and would it make more sense to lock Bolduc in for the next seven or eight years before he breaks out and becomes much more expensive? If there’s a team that knows what it’s like to get burned by signing a player, it’s the Canadiens, who once had to pay top dollar to extend P.K. Subban after a contentious bridge contract.
However, in this case, Bolduc is not Subban and doesn’t appear destined to become an award-winning forward. The AAV projection for Bolduc on a long-term contract is also eye-popping to say the least, coming in a shade under $6MM on a six-year deal.
The number on a long-term deal is likely a non-starter for the Canadiens until they see more from the Trois-Rivières, Quebec, native. It’s possible he goes on a tear in the postseason and convinces Montreal to go long term, but at this stage, the inconsistency, offensive droughts, and his inability to drive play are significant question marks that will likely prompt the Habs to opt for a bridge deal to get a longer look before committing to an extended term. That is, if he sticks with the Canadiens beyond this season.
Latest On Noah Dobson
Prior to tonight’s game, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper told reporters, including Eduardo A. Encina of The Tampa Bay Times, that Victor Hedman is still a ways from returning. The Bolts’ captain has resumed skating, and will be joining the team when they head to Montreal, but it’s still unclear when he could be back.
2025-26 has been a year marred by absences for the 35-year-old, as his just 33 games played is a career low for the 17-year veteran. Hedman missed nearly two months in the winter, and again, hasn’t played since March 19 due to illness and personal reasons.
A number of Lightning defensemen have stepped up this year, primarily Darren Raddysh and his incredible 70-point campaign, as well as J.J. Moser whose strong efforts fetched an eight-year contract extension. Their performances continue to show the resilience of the Lightning.
Still, Tampa Bay hasn’t won a playoff round since 2022, and Montreal presents another tall task, especially without their captain and his 170 games of playoff experience, good for sixth among active NHL players.
Elsewhere across the conference:
- Also in Tampa Bay, forward Dominic James returned to the lineup for the opening game of the Canadiens series, while Oliver Bjorkstrand was healthy scratched, noted by Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider. James, playing for the first time since late February, had a rough start to his playoff debut. On his first shift, he collided knee-on-knee with Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj and went to the bench in serious pain. It appeared that the rookie had re-aggravated his injury, but thankfully, he eventually returned to the game, back to his role as fourth line center.
- Injured Montreal Canadiens defender Noah Dobson traveled with the team for Game 1 in Tampa Bay, reported by Guillaume Lepage of NHL.com. The first-year Hab injured his hand against Columbus and had to miss the club’s two remaining regular season games. Without the ailment, he could have played in all 82 this season. Nonetheless, it will likely require an extended series against Tampa Bay for the righty to return by the first round, as he’s just traveling to remain with the team in support. Until he can heal up, Montreal is leaning on Alexandre Carrier in a top pairing role alongside Mike Matheson.
At Least Eight Teams To Carry Overage Penalty Into 2026-27
The NHL adds contract performance bonuses to the salary cap hit of each team at the end of the season. Any price over the salary cap is carried over to the team’s cap hit in the following season. Performance bonuses are broken up into two categories. A-level bonuses are paid out for reaching set numbers of goals, assists, points, plus-minus, or time on ice per-game. End-of-season accolades, such as an All-Star or All-Team nomination, are also A-level bonuses. B-level bonuses are worth up to $2MM and can include leaderboard rankings, minimum stats reached, or award wins. More details about performance bonuses can be found on PuckPedia.
At least NHL teams will carry an overage penalty into the 2026-27 season per PuckPedia. That number is down from 11 in the 2025-26 season and 15, an NHL record, in the 2024-25 season. This year’s list includes:
New York Islanders: $3.5MM
The Islanders paid out every last bit of rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer‘s potential $3.5MM performance bonus. He was awarded $1MM for his per-game scoring and ice time, then earned an additional $2.5MM by finishing in the top-10 of defensemen scoring. The Islanders utilized long-term injured reserve to exceed the salary cap at the end of the season. That will leave all of Schaefer’s performance bonus as overage headed into next season.
Colorado Avalanche: $2.29MM
Colorado lands an overage penalty thanks to Brent Burns‘ performance on an age-35+ contract. Burns had a potential for $4MM in performance bonuses on his deal and earned $3MM of that by playing in 10 games this season. Colorado utilized LTIR earlier in the year but finished the season with a little more than $700K in cap space. That space will help offset the cost of Burns’ bonuses just a bit, though Colorado will still carry a penalty into 2026-27.
Dallas Stars: $2.08-$3.08MM
The Dallas Stars paid out $80K in bonus to Justin Hryckowian for reaching 70 games this season. Captain Jamie Benn also earned $2MM of a potential $3MM in bonuses for playing in 50 games. That includes appearing in the season finale, which netted him $500K on its own. Benn has the potential to earn an additional $1MM in bonus – $500K each if Dallas wins the Western Conference Finals and Stanley Cup. That will sit the Stars with just over $2MM in overage currently and the potential for $3MM if they win it all.
Montreal Canadiens: $1.93-2.07MM
The Montreal Canadiens finished the year with less than $50K in cap space, in part thanks to their mid-season acquisition of Phillip Danault. Rookie Ivan Demidov landed $1MM in bonuses, of a potential $2MM, for his per-game scoring and ice time totals. Oliver Kapanen also earned $250K in bonuses for his per-game totals. He could earn an additional $137.5K if he is named to the NHL All-Rookie Team – a feat that seems unlikely with rookie forwards like Demidov, Beckett Sennecke, Benjamin Kindel, and Jimmy Snuggerud also in the running. Montreal also paid out $400K in bonuses to star defenseman Lane Hutson for a variety of reasons and $80K to rookie goalie Jacob Fowler for reaching 10 games. They will sit just shy of $2MM in overage penalty and could crest that mark if Kapanen earns all-team honors.
Ottawa Senators: $0-1.41MM
The Ottawa Senators will have to sign some big checks if they go on a playoff run. They have already paid out $1MM to Claude Giroux, and $750K to Lars Eller, for playing in 60 games and reaching the postseason. Giroux will earn an additional $500K if Ottawa wins in the first round – a cost that would be absorbed by their end-of-year cap space. But Giroux and Eller will also be eligible for $250K in bonuses if Ottawa wins the second round, and Giroux can net an additional $500K for wins in each of the Eastern Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals. That will leave Ottawa with four potential outcomes: no overage penalty, $414K in overage penalty (third-round loss), $914K in overage penalty (Stanley Cup Final loss), or $1.414MM in overage penalty (Stanley Cup win).
New Jersey Devils: $1.25MM
The Devils paid out two bonuses that pushed them into the red. Young defenseman Simon Nemec earned $750K in bonuses for his scoring, plus-minus, and ice time per-game totals. Winger Evgenii Dadonov landed $500K for scoring at least one point, $250K for playing in 10 games, and an additional $250K for reaching 20 games. He did not play in his 20th game of the season until March 29th, earning the 37 year old a late-season chip. Now, the Devils will carry more than $1MM in overage penalty into next season.
San Jose Sharks: $918.7K
The San Jose Sharks finished the year with $4.8MM in cap space but still land on the list of overage penalties. Much of that is thanks to their young stars. Macklin Celebrini earned every bit of his $3.5MM in potential bonuses with his franchise record-setting scoring. Will Smith earned $1MM, and William Eklund earned $450K, in bonuses for their scoring and ice time per-game. Those marks also earned Sam Dickinson $250K and Collin Graf reached his contract cap of $500K in bonuses. That amounts to $5.425MM, pushing the Sharks into the red for next season.
Edmonton Oilers: $250K
The Edmonton Oilers will face their second-straight season with $250K in overage penalty next year. This time, it is a result of rookie Matthew Savoie, who earned $250K with his ice time per-game. Edmonton finished the year utilizing LTIR to exceed the salary cap.
Florida Panthers: $150K
Defenseman Jeff Petry earned $150K in bonuses for reaching 50 games played with the Florida Panthers before the Trade Deadline. He earned an additional $60K for reaching 60 games, though that bonus came after his trade to the Minnesota Wild.
Photo courtesy of Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports