MONTREAL (CP) - The Montreal Canadiens have decided not to exercise club options on the contracts of defenceman Patrice Brisebois and minor league forward Gavin Morgan.
Brisebois was to have earned $3.4 million US next season after the 24 per cent rollback in player salaries contained in the new collective bargaining agreement.
The Montreal native's contract contained a $760,000 buyout clause if the team option was not exercised. Brisebois, now an unrestricted free agent, is allowed to sign a new deal with Montreal at a lower salary if he chooses.
''The message we are sending today is that we will look at available players in a market that is more open now,'' said Bob Gainey, general manager of the Canadiens.
''Of course, our decision also gives Patrice the right to look elsewhere.''
Gainey refused to be pinned down when asked if Brisebois' days in Montreal were numbered.
''We might meet and who knows what the future will bring,'' he said, noting that Brisebois was informed of the decision Monday.
''Patrice knew very well that we would have a decision to make and he was prepared for that eventuality. He was disappointed but realistic.''
Brisebois, 34, spent his entire 14-year NHL career with Montreal and was the last remaining member of the Canadiens' 1993 Stanley Cup champion team.
In 791 career games, he has regular season 79 goals and 263 assists.<
Gainey said he will take several days to examined the list of available players.
''We have two or three positions to fill,'' he said. ''We are looking for a defenceman and a forward. It all depends on the available players and, obviously, the market price.''
He will also make offers to 15 restricted free agents, including Jose Theodore, Saku Koivu, Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder, Jan Bulis, Jason Ward, Andrei Markov, Francis Bouillon, Mike Komisarek, Pierre Dagenais, Marcel Hossa, Marc-Andre Thinel, Matt Shasby, Tomas Plekanec and Christian Larrivee.
Gainey is also preparing to offer contracts to draft players from 2003, such as forwards Jimmy Bonneau and Maxim Lapierre, along with defenceman Mark Flood. But he might pass on forward Danny Stewart.
Morgan, 29, played 76 games for Hamilton of the AHL last season, when he scored 10 goals and added 23 assists. The Toronto native signed as a free agent with Montreal in July, 2004.