Canadiens, Tyler Toffoli agree to four-year, $17 million deal

Toffoli will play for his third team entering his ninth NHL season. The 28-year-old spent about seven and a half seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, helping the team capture a Stanley Cup in 2014, before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks this past season. 

A right-shot centerman, Toffoli notched 24 goals and 20 assists for 44 points in 68 games played this past season. He impressed for the Canucks in the playoffs, tallying two goals and two assists for four points in seven playoff games. 

With the signing of Toffoli, the Canadiens are now above the $81.5 million salary-cap limit for the 2020-21 season. A few contracts may need to be moved before the start of the next campaign to make the Habs roster compliant. 

Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin likely will be lauded for a tremendous offseason following the acquisition of both Toffoli and Josh Anderson, whom the team recently signed to a seven-year, $38.5 million deal. 

The Canadiens impressed in the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins to move on to the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers. Unfortunately, Bergevin's squad fell to the Flyers in six games and was eliminated from the Toronto bubble. 

With the latest acquisitions, the Habs seem primed to make a deeper run into the playoffs next season.