Report: Tax troubles hindering Canadiens' free agency attempts
Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin was regarded throughout the league at the trade deadline as a player acquisition wizard, as he landed one of the highest-regarded trade targets of the season in defenseman Jeff Petry, but Bergevin has been quiet so far this offseason.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman had some insight into why the Canadiens have not added much to the team yet this summer, and it seems taxes might be an issue.
"One agent did say Quebec’s taxes are a bigger factor than we consider, because they have to bid higher or give more term to overcome," Friedman wrote in a recent column. "Bergevin is very wary about that, because it will block his young players."
Friedman also reported that Bergevin made an attempt at acquiring forwards Matt Beleskey (who later went to the Bruins) and Shawn Matthias (who signed with the Leafs). The Canadiens have a need for forwards as the team still lacks firepower up front. They finished 20th in the league in goals per game last season, and two of their top-five scorers in the 2014-15 season were defensemen (Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban).
(h/t Eyes on the Prize)
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