Jul 2
C Scott Gomez was acquired from the New York Rangers in a seven-player deal which sent Long Island native Christopher Higgins to New York. The deal made Gomez the highest-paid player in Canadiens' history with an $8 million payout in the coming season and a cap hit of $7.357 million in each of the next five seasons.
Jun 30
Gomez was acquired by the Habs for winger Chris Higgins on Tuesday, TSN.ca reports.
Recommendation: The Habs had the cap space to take on an annual hit of $7.35 million, so giving up Higgins for a second-line center was a relative no-brainer. Gomez had just 58 points last season for the Rangers, his lowest total since 2002-03 with New Jersey.
Jun 30
The Rangers have started trimming salary by trading star center Scott Gomez, who makes $7.35 million a year, to the Montreal Canadiens for forward Chris Higgins in a six-player deal.
Advice: On the eve of the NHL free-agent shopping season, New York sent Gomez and his big contract that has five years remaining to Montreal on Tuesday with minor leaguers Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto. Along with Higgins, the Rangers are receiving defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko from the Canadiens. Gomez never really found his stride in New York after leaving the New Jersey Devils as a free agent two summers ago. He is signed through the 2013-14 season.
