Below is an excerpt from The Hockey News article by John Grigg who takes a look at the top 10 NHL payrolls. Gainey will potentially have $35 million to spend next season depending on high or low the salary cap goes.

10. Montreal – Cap payroll: $55,635,300 – Cap Space: $1,064,699• Biggest cap hits are both defensemen – Andrei Markov at $5.75 million and Roman Hamrlik at $5.5 million.• Five highest-paid forwards range from $3.25 million for Andrei Kostitsyn to $5.25 million for Alex Tanguay.• Young and cheap goalie tandem accounts for less than $3 million combined. Montreal has just 10 players and $22,520,834 locked-up for next season. So the Habs’ 100th summer will include a spending spree, but whether that involves signing familiar or new faces will depend on performances this season.