MONTREAL – Here`s a hypothetical situation for Montreal Canadiens fans to consider. Imagine Sidney Crosby stays with the Penguins, but the New York Islanders begin a full rebuild and decide to trade Mathew Barzal.
Would you be able to resist acquiring Barzal?
Fans have long desired a quality second-line center, and Barzal, potentially scoring 60-80 points per season, is arguably more than qualified. At 27 years old with nearly 600 NHL games played (including playoffs), he represents a highly productive player who might be available. His $9.15 million cap hit for the next six years appears manageable, particularly given Montreal`s current salary cap situation and the projected increase in the cap in the near future.
While it`s understandable why fans would want him, would you accept Gorton and Hughes choosing not to pursue Barzal if they didn`t believe he was the ideal fit?
This is because their goal isn`t merely to fill immediate roster gaps.
Gorton and Hughes aim to construct a team capable of consistently contending for the Stanley Cup, a goal that requires achieving the right balance throughout the roster.
