The Hurricanes signing Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an offer sheet provided a jolt to the off-season doldrums for NHL fans. It could also result in Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin shopping around to replace Kotkaniemi if he doesn't match the Hurricanes offer.
The Carolina Hurricanes signing Montreal Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi to a one-year, $6.1-million offer sheet provided a jolt to the off-season doldrums for NHL fans.
It could also result in Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin shopping around to replace Kotkaniemi if he doesn't match the Hurricanes offer.
Sportsnet's Eric Engels speculated that Bergevin could attempt to acquire Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel or try to sign Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson to an offer sheet. Both options seem unlikely given the Canadiens' tight salary-cap constraints. He also suggested the Arizona Coyotes' Christian Dvorak as a more reasonable trade target.
Dvorak, 25, is a physical two-way center carrying an affordable $4.45-million cap hit through 2024-25. He's drawn considerable interest around the league, with the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and, yes, the Canadiens among the supposed suitors.
Engels observed Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong was busy stockpiling draft picks this summer. PuckPedia shows him carrying two first-round picks and five second-rounders in the 2022 NHL Draft. He could be reluctant to move Dvorak if he sees him as a key piece in their roster rebuild but perhaps he'll be tempted by the right offer.
The Canadiens will get the Hurricanes' first- and third-round picks in next year's draft as compensation if they don't match Kotkaniemi's offer sheet. Bergevin could bundle those picks plus a prospect in hope of tempting Armstrong into parting with Dvorak.
