montreal canadiens hockey - habs blog

The Canadiens made their first official contract offer to Sheldon Souray.

By the comments of Sheldon’s agent it doesn’t look like it was anything that shocked them.

“We got the offer,” he told the paper. “It’s May, late May, but it’s still early, and we’re just going to sit here and evaluate Sheldon’s free-agent options over the next couple of weeks.”

By the sounds of it, it seems they intend to test the market as most everyone expected.

If that’s the case then Sheldon Souray will have been lost for nothing, in a year the Habs didn’t even qualify for the playoffs.

Andrei Markov has signed a 4 year contract that will pay him $23 Million.

First thoughts…..Big Bucks.

Markov has grown into an elite player in the NHL and without doubt the Canadiens best defenseman. Elite defenseman have big price tags. Getting Markov inked was the most important priority the Habs faced this off-season.

Imagine a Habs defense without Markov and it’s not a pretty thought…

Is $23 Million too much for Guy Carbonneau’s “General”? Time will tell.

The next logical thought is that there is little or no money available to sign Sheldon Souray. Bob Gainey may already know that Sheldon Souray is a goner. He’s long been rumored to be on the way out and if it wasn’t already decided, the $23 million dollars less to spend might seal it.