Habs sign veteran forward to new deal worth over $13 million.

Habs veteran rewarded with a new deal.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Habs sign veteran forward to new deal worth over $13 million.
Keystone Press

The Montreal Canadiens have just announced a relatively important signing and unlike some of the other moves they have made as of late this seems to be like a very popular move among the fan base.

On Sunday morning the Montreal Canadiens officially announced that they had come to terms on a new deal with veteran forward Paul Byron. In their press release the Habs announced that Byron had earned himself a 4 year deal that will pay him an average annual value of $3.4 million per season, a relatively low cap hit for a player that has become an integral part of what the Montreal Canadiens do on offense. The deal will pay Byron a total of $13.6 million over the full term of the contract.

Byron appears to have been a late bloomer as far as the National Hockey League's typical standards are concerned, bouncing around early in his career and achieving relatively little success in the process. The young man began his career as a member of the Buffalo Sabres organization, the team that drafted him in the 6th round (179th overall) of the 2007 National Hockey League Entry draft. In spite of the draft however Byron would return to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a member of the Gatineau Olympiques prior to getting a shot in the American Hockey League during the 2009 - 2010 season. Byron would remain in the AHL for the next two seasons before finally get a shot at the NHL, playing in 8 games with the Buffalo Sabres.

In spite of a decent showing with the Sabres over that short stretch, Byron recorded 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 total points, he would be traded to the Calgary Flamesd prior to the start of the following season and Byron really never seemed to find his group as a member of the Flames organization. During his time with the Flames Byron spent significant time in the American Hockey League yet again, this time as a member of the Abbotsford Heat, and it wasn't really until he joined the Canadiens that he really hit his stride.

In just his second year in Montreal Byron was entrusted to play in a full 82 game season and he did not dissapoint, recording 22 goals and 21 assists all the while moving with blazing speed on the ice. That brought his point total on the season to 43, more than double his previous career high and something that many believed he would not be able to replicate given his career trajectory up until that point. Although Byron didn't shine quite as bright during the 2017 - 2018 regular season you sort of have to give him some leeway given just how dysfunctional the Canadiens as a whole were last season, something that almost certainly impacted his performance. In spite of that however he still scored 20 goals and added 15 assists for a total of 35 points on the season.

This contract is likely designed to keep Byron for as long as it takes for the Habs to turn their fortunes around and it looks like a great deal for everyone involved.

[pub]


Source: