Earlier this week, it was reported that the Habs were one of 11 teams who have already incurred a bonus overage penalty for next season. Let’s break down how much the team will have deducted off their spending limit for 2024-25 and how it got to that point.
Laval entered last week with an opportunity to control their playoff destiny if they could pull off a pair of regulation wins over Belleville. They weren’t able to do it, however, falling both times, allowing the Senators to get the final spot.
The Habs didn’t have anything to play for but pride over the final two games although they could have messed with Detroit’s playoff push. In the end, the Red Wings didn’t make the postseason anyway while Montreal finished up the 2023-24 campaign with a pair of extra time losses.
The month of March saw plenty of Montreal’s prospects finish their regular seasons and get off to a strong start in the playoffs, earning them a spot in our monthly three stars.
With the season now over, it’s a good time to take a look back at the past month and see who our readers selected as Montreal’s top players in March.
The second-last week of the regular season saw Laval taking on one of the top teams in the North Division for a pair of games. They managed a split and while that hurt their playoff chances, they still have a viable path to the postseason.
Martin St. Louis won’t have to worry about being in the final year of his contract next season after all. The team announced on Wednesday that they’ve exercised a two-year extension option on his contract, keeping him behind the bench through the 2026-27 season.
While it took a little longer than expected, the Habs announced on Tuesday that they’ve signed winger Luke Tuch to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will begin next season.
The Habs kicked off their final stretch of the 2023-24 season on Monday with a trip to Detroit. They had a two-goal lead in the third but couldn’t hold it, eventually falling 5-4 in overtime.
The Habs got through the second-last week of the season with one of their better weeks in the standings, picking up four of a possible six points. Along the way, they had their biggest offensive outburst of the season and signed one of their top prospects.