The Montreal Canadiens will not retain the services of forward Michael Ryder, according to a report by Jean-Francois Chaumont of the Journal De Montreal on Wednesday night.
Michael Ryder will not return to Canadiens, according to report
The Montreal Canadiens have reportedly informed Michael Ryder that he will not be retained.
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Ryder completed the final year of a two-year, $7 million contract that carried an annual average value of $3.5 million against the salary cap last season. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. According to Chaumont, Ryder's agent informed him that Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin is interested in moving forward without Ryder's services. Bergevin acquired Ryder, in addition to a third-round draft pick, via trade with the Dallas Stars this past season. In exchange, the Canadiens sent Erik Cole the other way.
Ryder played in 27 regular-season games with the Canadiens in 2013 and accumulated ten goals and 11 assists for 21 points. The 33-year-old finished the campaign averaging 15:49 of ice time per game, which included an average of 2:55 on the power play.
This report doesn’t come as much of a shock. At the time of the trade, many speculated that Bergevin was motivated to make the move in order to open up cap space at the end of the season. Cole still has two years remaining on a contract that carries an annual average value of $4.5 million. Ryder is now off the books.
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