Will the Montreal Canadiens make another offer sheet?

Knowing Lou, he may try to low-ball him a bit, and the Montreal Canadiens could use frustrations from those negotiations as a means to intervene. We have to keep in mind what the compensations are for offer sheets.

If the Montreal Canadiens want a chance at someone like Barzal, they’ll have to start in that sixth team signing him to a contract between $8,726,189 and $10,907,735. That could be in the range of Marner’s deal if Barzal wanted to go top-dollar in the offer sheet market.

It’s also important that the Habs not only have draft picks but that they’re their own. They would be able to pay that compensation as they have both firsts in the next two drafts (2021 and 2022) as well as they’re own second and third for 2021. So if the Canadiens wanted, they could make the best of their 12 picks this year in preparation for what they won’t have next year.

That, of course, is if Bergevin proceeded with the offer sheet, makes a big enough offer, and the Islanders don’t match.

The options are out there, and I wouldn’t be surprised if these are conversations going on as we speak. Seeing as Bergevin did it once and ripped the bandaid off, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn of the Habs eying the league for another target. At the same time, it could have other teams more likely to indulge in it too.

You may be thinking there’s no point in acquiring someone like Barzal when Suzuki and Kotkanieni are clearly the future, but I would disagree with that. You can never have enough star talent on a roster, and Barzal brings just that, and he is young enough to grow with the already established core on the Montreal Canadiens.

It won’t be easy, and offer sheets never are, but if Bergevin is committed to improving the team, it’s a route he absolutely has to look into.