The Habs had three junior-aged players on an NHL contract this past season, bringing the oft-mentioned ‘slide rule’ into play once again. Here is a breakdown of the changes to their contracts.
What is the ‘Slide Rule’?
This is for junior-aged prospects who were under contract for the previous season but did not suit up in ten or more games with the NHL team. As a result, their contract slides (gets extended by) an extra year with a corresponding change in their cap hit.
Who was eligible for a slide?
Owen Beck, Filip Mesar, and David Reinbacher.
How does the cap hit change?
In most instances, simply put, the cap hit is reduced by the AAV of the signing bonus paid in that season divided by the number of years remaining on the contract (which in this case is always three). The players’ NHL salary in the final year of the new deal is lowered by the signing bonus paid out in the season where the contract slid. However, with the league minimum salary going up in recent years, the minimum in the newly-created contract year can sometimes be higher than what the salary would have been this season. In those cases, the basic calculation for the reduced cap hit (signing bonus divided by three) doesn’t apply and the savings would be the difference between the signing bonus and the base salary increase divided by three.
New Cap Hits
Owen Beck
| Season | NHL Salary | Performance Bonuses | Signing Bonus | Cap Hit before Bonuses | Cap Hit with Bonuses |
| 2022-23 | Entry-level slide | $95,000 | $916,667 | $950,000 | |
| 2023-24 | Entry-level slide | $95,000 | $885,000 | $918,333 | |
| 2024-25 | $775,000 | $80,000 | $95,000 | $853,333 | $886,667 |
| 2025-26 | $835,000 | $20,000 | $0 | $853,333 | $886,667 |
| 2026-27 | $855,000 | $0 | $0 | $853,333 | $886,667 |
It’s the second and final time that Beck’s deal slides as he spent the entire season in junior. His first-year salary was originally $775,000 which lines up with the current minimum so it’s a clean calculation to determine the new cap hit. With a second signing bonus payment of $95,000 paid out, that comes off the books; $95,000/3 = $31,667 in savings.
Filip Mesar
| Season | NHL Salary | Performance Bonuses | Signing Bonus | Cap Hit before Bonuses | Cap Hit with Bonuses |
| 2022-23 | Entry-level slide | $95,000 | $950,000 | $950,000 | |
| 2023-24 | Entry-level slide | $95,000 | $918,333 | $918,333 | |
| 2024-25 | $855,000 | $0 | $95,000 | $886,667 | $886,667 |
| 2025-26 | $855,000 | $0 | $0 | $886,667 | $886,667 |
| 2026-27 | $855,000 | $0 | $0 | $886,667 | $886,667 |
Like Beck, it’s the second and last time that Mesar’s deal will slide a year; he’ll burn a season no matter what next year. His savings are the same as Beck’s as well, with the $95,000 signing bonus divided by three yielding $31,667 in savings. With no performance bonuses in his contract, his cap hit before and with bonuses is the same unlike the others on this list.
David Reinbacher
| Season | NHL Salary | Performance Bonuses | Signing Bonus | Cap Hit before Bonuses | Cap Hit with Bonuses |
| 2023-24 | Entry-level slide | $95,000 | $950,000 | $2,166,667 | |
| 2024-25 | $855,000 | $1,000,000 | $95,000 | $918,333 | $2,085,000 |
| 2025-26 | $855,000 | $1,000,000 | $95,000 | $918,333 | $2,085,000 |
| 2026-27 | $855,000 | $1,500,000 | $0 | $918,333 | $2,085,000 |
Reinbacher’s calculation is also quite simple as it’s once again the signing bonus divided by three. Unlike the other two, he’s still eligible for another slide next season so that cap hit could come down Mesar’s when all is said and done as long as he plays in ten or fewer games with the Canadiens. One minor tidbit of minutia here, while Reinbacher is eligible for a slide in 2024-25, he won’t be exempt from the 50-contract limit unless he’s assigned back overseas (or to the CHL). At this point, it looks like his options are Montreal or Laval so they will have to contend with him counting against the 50.