The Montreal Canadiens’ two primary needs were quickly filled on the first day of unrestricted free agency when General Manager Pierre Gauthier signed power forward Erik Cole and goaltender Peter Budaj.
The Canadiens desperately needed to add a big forward who can score, as well as a backup to star goaltender Carey Price.
Gauthier nabbed both by the time free agency was 3 1/2 hours old, inking Cole to a 4-year, $18 million deal and Budaj to a 2-year, $2.3 million contract.