Did Marc Bergevin expect such a scenario?
Nothing has been decided yet about the offer made by the Hurricanes to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but it seems that Bergevin would have more advantages not to match the Hurricanes' offer. The compensation of a first and third round pick would be one of the main reasons to let the young center play in Carolina.
However, let's remember what Dominique Ducharme said during his golf tournament a while back. The head coach had suggested that the Habs might not have finished shopping around.
"The situation could be different on the 22nd." -Dominique Ducharme
It's been several weeks now since the Habs' playoff run ended, but nothing has happened in the discussions between Kotkaniemi's clan and the Tricolore. Did Bergevin open the door voluntarily to another general manager?
The question arises, since the compensation in return is certainly very attractive. The Finn still hasn't reached the expectations since the beginning of his career and it could be that the GM has given up on him.
Should Bergevin not match Don Wadell's offer, the Habs would be left with two first round picks in 2022. Remember that the estimated value to acquire Jack Eichel would be around four first round picks (players or draft picks). The 35-year-old center Tyler Bozak had also been approached by some journalists.
The name of Christian Dvorak has also been linked to the Blue-White-Red in recent weeks. The latter would have a value on the market of a first round pick as well as a top prospect. The Coyotes' center could be another interesting option for the general manager.
It seems clear that Marc Bergevin has a plan in mind and that he has a very specific idea of the center players that will be lined up for his team next season. Eichel, Dvorak, Bozak? This case will obviously need to be followed very closely...
