MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
I think with any other team, for sure. But with an expansion team coming in, with the most important position really being goaltender for them, things are a bit different. You want to have an experienced goalie who will be able to keep you respectable if all else fails. Just about everyone in the hockey world still thinks Price is the best, or top three or whatever. The expansion team has no cap issues and can fit in his contract without making a move. In fact it may help them reach the cap floor. If Montreal can keep up the illusion that Price is still top dog, they should be able to extract something. If not their 1st, then something else of some value. I can't envision a situation where they'd have to give Seattle more to dump Price on them.
Now all of this is just thinking out loud. In reality, would Price accept a trade to an expansion team? Highly unlikely. Would Bergevomit even really entertain trading Price when we all know his goal is to make the playoffs and never rebuild? Also improbable. So Montreal is probably stuck with Pricey boy until some perfect situation magically appears, or, more likely, he retires.
Oh, Seattle might take Price off of Montreal's hands for the reasons you listed. They're not giving up their high 1st to do it though.