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Is Scott Gomez expecting a Canadiens buyout, return to Devils?

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Scott Gomez is already making plans for next year and it has nothing to do with Montreal.

Patrice Brisebois said Monday night on TVA Sports (video) that the Montreal Canadiens center has told some of his friends that he is expecting the Canadiens will buy out the remainder of his contract.

Gomez has two years remaining from his 7-year contract the New York Rangers gave him. He was traded to the Montreal Canadiens during the Summer of 2009 with Tom Pyatt and Michael Busto. In exchange, Montreal gave away Doug Janik, Chris Higgins, Pavel Valentenko and Ryan McDonagh (1st round pick en 2007).

Gomez is scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2012-13 and $4.5 million in 2013-14. According to Cap Geek:

Scott Gomez is 32 years old on the buyout date of June 15, 2012, setting the buyout ratio at 2/3 and the total buyout cost at $6,666,667 spread over 4 years. His contract was originally valued at $51,500,000 beginning in 2007 and ending in 2014, with $10,000,000 remaining from the buyout year forward.

His cap hit breakdown for Montreal, if it bought out the rest of his deal:

2012-13: $3,523,810
2013-14: $4,523,810
2014-15: $1,666,667
2015-16: $1,666,667

According to Brisebois, Gomez also said that he would like to go back to New Jersey, where everything started for him and where he won a Stanley Cup in 2003.

Gomez played the best hockey of his career as a New Jersey Devils. In 2005-05, he scored 33 goals and got 84 points. In 38 games this season with the Montreal Canadiens, he only scored two goals.

Christine Roger is the editor Le Vestiaire on Yahoo! Sports Quebec. Follow her on Twitter @ChristineRoger.