retain 9 mil......are you sure

Would be a wild twist to see him back in Montreal

Yea, Whaler...that's not how it works....

This… is a joke right?

Can retain only half of salary, and Habs declines regardless.

Good one

Max that can be retained is 50% and a contract can be retained no more than twice. So, Montreal would need to at least pick up 25% of his remaining deal (50% of 50% being 25%).

100%: $9m AAV, $2m cash (bonus has been paid)
50%: $4.5m AAV, $1m cash
25%: $2.25m AAV, $500k cash

You could use a pick to get a third team to retain 25% (like Foligno, Lehner, Savard deals). You could also take a contract back from Habs (suck as Paul Byron).

AND Montreal would still pass after all of that.