The Canadian Press

7/6/2010 4:28:05 PM

BROSSARD, Que. – The Montreal Canadiens do not expect to make a contract offer to 2006 first-round draft pick David Fischer, which would make the University of Minnesota defenceman an unrestricted free agent.

General manager Pierre Gauthier said Tuesday the team will get a compensatory draft pick if they let Fischer go. The pick should be 50th overall in 2011, or the 20th pick of the second round, as Fischer was selected 20th overall in his draft year.

“We’ve advised his representative that we probably won’t make him an offer and he’ll become an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15,” Gauthier said as the team’s summer orientation camp opened. “We reserve the right to change our mind on that, but it looks like that’s what’s going to happen.”

Gauthier said the team hopes to sign Russian right-winger Alexander Avtsin, although it was uncertain whether they would like him to play junior hockey or go to Hamilton of the American Hockey League. The 19-year-old Avtsin, drafted 109th overall in 2009, is among 22 players at the camp.

He confirmed that players who became unrestricted free agents on July 1, including Dominic Moore and Glen Metropolit, would not be offered contracts.

“It’s unfortunate because a lot of these guys contributed to our team, but between the young players moving up and the acquisitions we made in the off-season, and of course the game that we all play with the (salary) cap, we came to those decisions,” he said.

One of Gauthier’s biggest off-season moves was to trade playoff goaltending hero Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues for prospects Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. On Tuesday, Halak signed a US$15 million four-tear contract with the Blues.

“I’m very happy for Jaroslav,” said Gauthier. “He deserves it. And I think the St. Louis Blues are happy too. They gave up a lot to get the player.”

He said talks were ongoing to sign goaltender Carey Price and forward Maxim Lapierre, both restricted free agents.

“We’ll see how it evolves (with Price),” he said. “Sometimes it takes longer than other cases, but we’ll come to a conclusion some time before training camp, I’m confident of that.”

Gauthier said he had no worries about keeping his job after it was announced on Monday that Geoff Molson, who headed the group that bought the Canadiens from George Gillett last fall, would take over as president of the team from Pierre Boivin in June 2011.

“I have a very good relationship with him and we’re going forward as it is,” Gauthier said.