The Montreal Canadiens are busy looking ahead to next season, announcing today that they have agreed to terms with defenseman Gustav Olofsson on a one-year two-way contract extension. The deal carries a $750K salary in the NHL, $250K salary in the AHL and a $350K guarantee for the 2020-21 season.
Olofsson, 25, was acquired in 2018 from the Minnesota Wild but missed nearly the entire 2018-19 season after suffering a shoulder injury in the minor leagues. That ended any chance of him helping the Canadiens last year when they could have really used him, and left him in a minor league role again this season. In 57 games for the Laval Rocket he has recorded 16 points, but only received three games in the NHL with Montreal. That takes him to 59 for his career, meaning he would have qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.
In that sense, Montreal is buying out a UFA year for just over the minimum NHL salary with a player that has shown the ability to contribute at the highest level in the past. Whether or not he will see any time with the Canadiens depends on the other moves they make in the offseason, but he can at least serve as experienced depth and a leader on the Rocket blueline.
Another depth move…now if the could ever get a first rounder to crack the roster, they would be in good shape