I've read that Alzner has actually been pretty good for the culture down in Laval. We don't need the cap space that he costs us, so there is no point in trading him, unless we can get assets.

I mean we could just buy Alzner out. Let him sign anywhere else he wants. The cap penalty is cheaper than anything else we'd get in trade or then using him in the AHL where he doesn't want to be.

The buyout is cheaper than retaining 50% and getting another contract back we don't want. Just let him go.

would you prefer retain 2,4 or so for 3 years or pay all this for the next 6 years... IMO It's better to retain 50% since we don't need much cap space now...

1 069 444 $
4 194 444 $
2 194 444 $
1 069 444 $
1 069 444 $
1 069 444 $

Did anyone trade for Alzner @ 50% this year when MB was open in saying he was trying to move him? No. If you are trading Alzner with 50% retained, you are not getting a 7th rounder back or the deal would already be done...... Your getting a Schlemko back for example. The gain there is that you get a player whose coming off your books sooner but you still have that player on your books so both caps together are going to equal the same or more than a buyout. Not to mention a roster spot taken away from a young player.

Alzner at 2.4M for 3 years + whatever you have to take back in cap also has more tangible effect than simply buying out Alzner. The years in which you have a 1M cap penalty is virtually negligible. The other two are slight work arounds that you'd have to deal with regardless of whether you buy him out or you trade him with 50%. Habs having a cap penalty of 1M in 23-24 is meaningless. Its nothing.

Regardless, the point of buying out Alzner is clear the roster spot and to let the guy try to sign elsewhere. Do the Habs really have to worry about 0.5 - 1M cap variance?? Chances are the Habs could go the entire term of the contracts without even noticing the cap penalty.

Buying out Alzner is the nice thing to do because it gets rid of the player and lets him sign elsewhere without the hassle of taking back a player. It just closes the book on the contract. If a team wants to trade for Alzner with 50% and then buy him out, by all means but I don't think anyone is willing to do that for free. Its cost the Habs a pick or something. Id rather the Habs keep the pick and use that extra cap space they have instead.