Eleven players chose to sign for arbitration this offseason. Of those, only six remained unsigned by the time the hearings were scheduled: Arvid Soderblom (July 28), Maksim Tsyplakov (July 29), Dylan Samberg (July 30), Conor Timmins (August 2), Nicholas Robertson (August 3), and Montreal Canadiens’ defenseman Jayden Struble, whose case is scheduled for August 3.
As for Kaapo Kakko, he avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms with the Seattle Kraken. The three-year deal has an AAV of $4.525. Just like filing for arbitration doesn’t put a halt to negotiation, getting a hearing date doesn’t either, so the Canadiens and Struble can still avoid the unpleasant experience if they reach an agreement before the hearing commences.
Big Contingent Of Canadiens Players In Town For Suzuki’s Wedding?
Music Legend Who Left A Big Impression In Montreal Passes Away
Insider Shares Big Update On Canadiens Star Trade Target
These things can take time. When the Habs struggled to sign former blueliner P.K. Subban in 2014, both parties were already in Toronto and they completed the hearing process before a deal was reached ahead of the arbitrator delivering his ruling.
When Subban came out of the hearing, he stated that it had been “an educational process” for him, while then GM Marc Bergevin simply stated that he had nothing to say. It’s hardly surprising to hear that kind of comment from a player who comes out of a hearing in which the team tried its best to demonstrate why he’s not worth the money he’s asking.
Essentially, the hearings consist of the team stating and demonstrating the player’s shortcomings. Since hockey is a big business, you can be sure that teams leave no stone unturned. They hire litigation lawyers and tell them what kind of award they would be satisfied with, and the firm puts together a file that includes every single stat that is favourable to the team’s position. The lawyers are thorough.
Having worked on such files in the past, I can tell you it’s like getting an appraisal from your boss and just being told what you do poorly. There’s nothing positive there, which means it’s a lot to process and can sour the relationship between the team and the player.
In the end, the Canadiens and Subban reached a deal before the arbitrator decided on an award, but the damage had been done. Still, the rearguard went away with an eight-year deal with a $9M AAV, but it was the beginning of the end for him in Montreal.
The contract included a no-trade clause that was set to take effect on July 1, 2016. Still, it never materialized, as the Canadiens traded him to the Nashville Predators in return for the Predators' captain, Shea Weber, on June 29, 2016, in the nick of time, as they say.
A few things have changed since then, though. The 2020 Memorandum of Understanding states that a contract can only be agreed on until the hearing starts. Once it kicks off, negotiations are over and the parties will have to live with the arbitrator’s decision.
Since Struble decided to go to arbitration, it will be up to the Canadiens to determine if they want a one-year deal or a two-year one. So far, Kent Hughes has generally opted for a two-year pact with young defenders coming off their ELC deal.
Last offseason, the Canadiens’ GM put pen to paper with Arber Xhekaj on a two-year pact with a $1.3 M AAV and signed Justin Barron to a two-year agreement with a $1.15 M AAV. The year before, he had signed Jordan Harris to a two-year contract with a $1.4 M AAV. Both Harris and Barron were traded before the end of their second contracts, and the fact that they were signed to reasonable deals made them easier to trade, thereby giving them more market value.
The one exception when it comes to defensemen contracts has been Kaiden Guhle, whose services were retained by the Canadiens for six years coming off his ELC, becoming the first blueliner to be identified as a core piece for Montreal. As for newly acquired Noah Dobson, he was given an eight-year deal by the New York Islanders under the Habs’ instructions, but that was his third contract; he was coming off a three-year deal with a $4M AAV.
Chances are Lane Hutson will also be part of the exceptions, and while he is eligible to sign an extension, his contract is good until the end of the upcoming season, and there’s therefore no rush. However, Hughes will no doubt want to sign him before the next CBA comes into force on September 16, 2026. Why? Because then the maximum term a player can be extended to by his team will become seven years instead of eight, and there will be restrictions on the amount of bonuses that can be included as part of the deal.
For now, the amount Struble is asking for and the amount the Canadiens are offering are unknown, but they will be made public if the matter reaches arbitration. I struggle to see how this move makes sense for Struble, since he hasn’t got much leverage. He’s only played 56 games per season in the NHL so far, and that was mainly thanks to other defensemen being injured. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good defenseman, but he’s yet to establish himself as a regular. Even with the salary cap going up, I find it hard to believe that he could receive more than what Xhekaj was signed for. Hopefully, a deal will be reached before the hearing begins.
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.
