While there are many ways in which a team can improve in the offseason, none is more controversial than taking the offer sheet route. This Summer, many had hoped that promising young forwards like Marco Rossi and Mason MacTavish would be targeted; the latter, in particular, was the one most Montreal Canadiens fans had their heart set on, but neither received any.
Former Canadiens and Chantal Machabee Join Forces
3 Canadiens Ranked Among Best NHL Players Born In 2000s
Canadiens: On A Possible Lane Hutson Extension
On the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman explained:
I think McTavish's representatives looked for an offer sheet, but it didn't happen. I really believe the whole thing with Gavin McKenna has scared teams away from doing the offer sheet.-
That makes sense, considering the talent that will be up for grabs at the next draft; no team wants to risk trading away their first-round pick. With the draft lottery, you don’t have to finish last to have a chance at drafting a generational talent like McKenna and a GM that would choose to go down the offer sheet route and then realize that one of the first-picks he lost in the process was used to select the promising forward would most probably regret the move.
The Canadiens have only one first-round pick at the upcoming draft. While the hope is that the Habs will improve on their performance from last year and avoid being a lottery team, you never know. Sports are unpredictable; nobody predicted the Nashville Predators or the New York Rangers would collapse last season, but they did.
On paper, the Sainte-Flanelle looks better than it was last season, but no team is immune to injury or chemistry issues. In any case, it would have been surprising to see the Canadiens go down the offer sheet route. While the move is legal and provided for in the CBA, it’s hardly the way to have a good relationship with other teams.
It would be a lot less surprising to see the Canadiens trade Carey Price’s contract and then use the cap space to get some reinforcements down the middle. Who might those reinforcements be? I’m afraid Kent Hughes and co. are keeping their cards close to their chest, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them target someone who hasn’t even been in the rumor mill…
Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.