Montreal Canadiens general manager dropped a bit of a truth bomb while announcing Carey Price's mega-contract extension.

Price signed an eight-year deal that will keep him with the team for the next nine seasons, but the more immediate futures of free agents Andrei Markov and Alex Radulov remain murky.

Bergevin perhaps tipped his hand by explicitly saying he wants Markov back, but also seems resigned to the fact Radulov may be a goner.

"We made a very enticing offer to Radulov, but he decided to try the free-agent market. It's his right," the GM said via the team's Twitter. "We want Radulov back in Montreal, but on the Canadiens' terms."

Both players are unrestricted free agents, a pool from which Bergevin signed defensemen Karl Alzner and Joe Morrow, as well as forward Peter Holland.

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The Montreal Canadiens appeased the nerves of their fans Sunday with an eight-year contract extension worth a reported $84 million for goaltender Carey Price.

Price is widely considered the best goaltender in the NHL and is the Canadiens' marquee player, but this didn't stop Twitter users from reacting in awe at what is truly a groundbreaking contract.

While many consider the value to be fair for such a proven goaltender, it clearly demonstrates the strain such a contract can have on a roster.

Forward Alex Galchenyuk remains a restricted free agent, while forward Alexander Radulov and defenseman Andrei Markov are unrestricted. All three are considered fan favorites and are coming off strong seasons in 2016-17.

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The Vegas Golden Knights acquired center Marcus Kruger from the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations, the club announced.

Kruger immediately provides the Knights with depth up the middle, a spot on the roster that Vegas general manager George McPhee has been looking to upgrade.

The 27-year-old veteran spent his entire seven-year career in a Blackhawks uniform, racking up 33 goals and 105 points in 398 regular-season games.

Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman had this to say about the parting centerman: "We thank Marcus for his many contributions to our team - most notably, two Stanley Cup Championships. His work ethic, reliability and strength as a two-way player made him a valuable member of the organization. We wish him the best with Vegas.”

Kruger has two years remaining on his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

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The Montreal Canadiens signed Carey Price to an eight-year contract extension that will begin in 2018-19 and run through to the end of 2025-26, the club announced Sunday.

The value of the new contract was not immediately disclosed, but is reported to be worth $10.5 million per season, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. Additionally, $70 million of that total comes in the form of signing bonuses, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN.

The next highest-paid goalie is New York's Henrik Lundqvist, who signed a seven-year, $59.5-million extension with the Rangers in 2013.

The $10.5 million cap hit will also put him on par with Chicago duo Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane for highest among all players, pending the signing of Connor McDavid in Edmonton.

The 29-year-old is coming off his tenth season with the club. In that time, he's posted a career regular-season record of 270-175-55 with a .920 save percentage and has won the Hart, Vezina, and Ted Lindsay trophies.

Price also won gold for Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Clearly the current face of the most storied franchise in hockey history, this new deal ensures Price will spend the majority of his career - if not all of it - playing for the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2005.

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The Ilya Kovalchuk situation appears to be coming to a head sooner than later.

The Russian winger is believed to be mulling a return to the NHL following a four-year KHL hiatus, and would have to do so via a deal with the New Jersey Devils, who could then trade him to a more preferred destination.

Devils general manager Ray Shero said there's no update as of Sunday, but added, "I don't think this stretches on for real long," according to Andrew Gross of The Record.

Three of the teams on Kovalchuk's wish list are believed to be the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kovalchuk's potential availability slots him as one of the most intriguing remaining free-agent options.

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With the initial wave of free-agent signings having now passed, attention turns to the NHL trade market, where Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene remains the focal point.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators were reported to have offers on the table, but the latter may have bowed out after signing center Nick Bonino on Saturday.

Talks between Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and Avs GM Joe Sakic drifted well into Saturday evening, though, reports Aaron Portzline of The Dispatch.

The Avs apparently have eyes on one or two of Columbus' young defensemen.

Portzline adds the Boston Bruins are believed to have entered the conversation, with 20-year-old defenseman and Colorado Springs native Brandon Carlo serving as a key piece in the return.

Carlo's name has been liked to the Avalanche in trade reports dating back to January, but Bruins GM Don Sweeney said the young blue-liner would not be included in any deals at that point in time.

Duchene has two years left on his current contract, and carries a yearly cap hit of $6 million.

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Karl Alzner is off to hockey's mecca.

The defenseman signed a five-year, $23.1-million deal with the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, and is more than ready to step into the NHL's most storied hockey market.

"(Montreal) is the franchise in the league; it's hockey. I don't think it really gets much better than that," he said Saturday, per Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic.

"It's competitive and (there's) management and ownership that's willing to do absolutely anything to win. That's kind of the dream, for a player that especially hasn't won a Cup yet. So I'm pretty excited about that."

Alzner was drafted fifth overall by the Washington Capitals in 2007, a team for whom he played his entire career up to this point, and with whom he was unable to win the Stanley Cup. The Canadiens, on the other hand, have 24 Cups to their credit, but none since 1993.

The steady defenseman hasn't missed a regular-season game in seven seasons, and will be counted upon to help keep the puck away from Carey Price.

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Over a decade after winning his first Stanley Cup in Carolina, Justin Williams believes the Hurricanes are gaining strength once again.

"Carolina hasn't been to the playoffs since 2009, so that's a long time," he said after signing a two-year, $9-million contract with the club on Saturday, per Chip Alexander of the News and Observer.

"We're done losing. It's time to climb the ladder and get relevant. I really like this team and like where it's going."

Set to turn 36 before the start of next season, Williams becomes the oldest member of the Hurricanes, and general manager Ron Francis is hoping the man they call "Mr. Game 7" can not only continue to put the puck in the back of the net, but also teach the team's younger players what it takes to become a winner.

"He's shown he can score goals, so we expect him to score some goals for us," Francis said Saturday. "He's won three Stanley Cups in his career. He's shown in the big games he rises to that level he needs to get to to be successful.

"On a team with a lot of young players we think he's going to have huge influence in our locker room, getting those guys to understand what it takes to be successful. It's great he believes in what we're building and what we're doing."

Williams won a Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, and went on to win two more with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. Whether he can add another during his second tour of duty with the Hurricanes remains to be seen, but he certainly believes he can help the team move forward.

"I can produce offensively. I mean, that's no secret. That's what I'm here to do among other things, but I think more importantly being there and hopefully being a presence and helping this young talented team kind of take the next step."

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