The so-called Reserve list is a telling way to gauge the state of an NHL team’s future. The official designation of the “reserve list” is as follows. In the pre-Bob Gainey era, the Canadiens reserve list was so thin that the team had only enough players to fill half of the Hamilton Bulldogs roster. Edmonton Oilers players filled out the roster. The Oilers also supplied head coach Claude Julien. Today the Canadiens stock the entire Hamilton franchise and part of the Turner Cup champion Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. It should be noted that at one point or the other last year, seventeen members of the Hamilton Bulldogs saw action with the Canadiens.

The depth of the Canadiens has been the result of strong drafting and the aggressive pursuit of undrafted players such as forwards David Desharnais and Brock Trotter and goaltenders Cedric Desjardin and Robert Mayer.

Here is the NHL description of the “reserve list”

The list of players “belonging” to an NHL team is comprised of the following, the total of which may not exceed 80:

1. Pro players (maximum of 50)
2. Signed junior players (who have played less than 11 professional games)
3. Unsigned draft choices
4. Defected players (unsigned draft choices who are playing in Europe)

 

Of the fifty players on the reserve list, twenty three make up the NHL roster. The rest make up the professional component of a team.

The Canadiens have 20 players signed to their main roster, excluding Carey Price who has yet to sign as a restricted free agent but including P.K. Subban who is still on a two-way contract. They have another 24 on two-way minor league contracts excluding forward Brock Trotter who is also a restricted free agent. That leaves four available slots for general manager Pierre Gauthier to work with, should he decided to get busy again during training camp. .

All 24 of the players in the Canadiens minor professional system are on to way contracts and all but Mathieu Carle, Curtis Sanford and J.T. Wyman holding entry level contracts.

Below, in order of NHL contract size, are the individual figures for the coming season.

Note that the salary figures stated only relate to the number of days a player spends on an NHL roster. (The NHL portion of the salary is calculated by dividing the 180 day season into the annual salary figure and multiplying by the days on the roster). Salaries in the minor leagues run in the 65-thousand dollar per season vicinity.

F-Max Pacioretty $910,000

F-Andreas Engqvist $900,000

F-Hunter Bishop $900,000

D-Brandon Nash $900,000

F-Aaron Palushaj 883,233

D-Yannick Weber 875,000

F-Olivier Fortier 875,000

F-Ben Maxwell $850,000

F-Ryan White 850,000

F-Ian Schultz 845,833

D-Mathieu Carle 660,000

F-Alexander Avtsin $606,667

F-Gabriel Dumont 571,667

G-Cedrick Desjardins $550,000

F-Matthew Conboy 550,000

D-Kyle Klubertanz 550,000

G-Curtis Sanford 550,000

D-Frederic St. Denis 550,000

F-J.T. Wyman 550,000

F-David Desharnais $550,000

F-Ryan Russell $550,000

F-Dany Masse 531,667

G-Robert Mayer 550,000

F-Phillipe Lefebvre 522,770