Montreal Canadiens' Current Financial Obligations

As of today, the Montreal Canadiens have 16 players under contract. Those 16 players have a combined salary of around US$31 million dollars.

Here they are:

Andrei Markov 5,750,000 $
Saku Koivu 4,750,000 $
Alexei Kovalev 4,500,000 $
Cristobal Huet 2,875,000 $
Francis Bouillion 1,875,000 $
Mathieu Dandenault 1,725,000 $
Christopher Higgins 1,700,000 $
Michael Komisarek 1,700,000 $
Steve Begin 1,057,000 $
Guillaume Latendresse 850,000 $
Andrei Kostitsyn 785,000 $
Tony Salmelainen 700,000 $
Mark Streit 600,000 $
Garth Murray 600,000 $
Maxim Lapierre 583,000 $
Jaroslav Halak 492,000 $
Jassen Cullimore 633,000 $ (bought out)

Or here is a simple depht chart to see which positions need more players:

Center:

1)Saku Koivu 4,750,000 $
2)
3)Maxim Lapierre 583,000 $
4)Steve Begin 1,057,000 $

Left Wing:

1)Christopher Higgins 1,700,000 $
2)
3)Guillaume Latendresse 850,000 $
4)Tony Salmelainen 700,000 $

Right Wing:

1)Alexei Kovalev 4,500,000 $
2)
3)Andrei Kostitsyn 785,000 $
4)Garth Murray 600,000 $

Defense:

1)Andrei Markov 5,750,000 $
2)
3)Michael Komisarek 1,700,000 $
4)
5)Mathieu Dandenault 1,725,000 $
6)Francis Bouillion 1,875,000 $
7)Mark Streit 600,000 $

Goalie:

1)Cristobal Huet 2,875,000 $
2)Jaroslav Halak 492,000 $

That being said, the Canadiens have about US$15 million to spend on 11 restricted free-agents and at least on 2 "good/star" unrestricted ones.

Here are the Habs' important RFAs (click here for all of them):

Michael Ryder
Josh Gorges
Tomas Plekanec

With the signing of the previously named RFAs, the Canadiens would fill their need for a 2nd line right winger (With Ryder), maybe the need for a second line left winger (With Plekanec, since with the depht of quality centers in this year's UFA market, he will not return next season as the teams' 2nd line center) and the need of a 4th-6th defenseman (Gorges). These signings would cost up to US$6 million.

This would leave the Montreal club with US$11 million to sign 8 minor leaguers, a 2nd and 4th defenseman and a 1st/2nd line center, which would leave Habs' GM Bob Gainey in a tough, but interesting situation.