I may be a lot of things. But I'm not one to spread rumors.
I do however see a potential superstar landing in Montreal, if all goes right (or wrong, in this csse for the Edmonton Oilers), over the course of the next two years (yes, that would be when Neon Leon is set to become a UFA).
Now you may be thinking: why would a superstar, franchise NHL player sign here, we never sign anyone. Or, why on earth would he want to leave Edmonton, playing alongside the game's greatest player in McJesus?
The answer is rather simple: Edmonton has not won anything and given the way their current season is going, disappointment seems to be the name of the game again this year. This team lacks significant depth at all positions, they haven't drafted well and have little in the way of potential impact prospects, plus there are huge question marks in nets.
I also firmly believe that the Canadiens are building a team that will contend in a much shorter period of time than many so-called experts predicts. Their brand of hockey, under coach St-Louis, is also no doubt turning heads across the NHL.
But Montreal, who will likely have some significant talent on the backend in a couple of years (development of Guehle, Barron, Harris, and the additions of Mailloux, Reinbacher and Lane Hutson) and become an elite transition team. Cap space will be available in a couple of years as contracts to players like Joel Armia, David Savard and other veterans leave the team (Gallagher buyout , a retirement? hard to imagine him being a contributing factor two years from now) .
The one thing the Canadiens will be missing is that alpha male, that elite, dominant forward that can change a game on a dime.
There have been whispers that Draisaitl likes the city of Montreal, that he enjoys playing in Canada and that he may want to play somewhere where he could be away from the shadow of Mc David.
The math checks out. The cap is going up. There would be no issues having a star like Leon making more money than Caufield or Suzuki. And the Canadiens would likely have a lot of their young players still signed at reasonable contracts come 2025.
Can you imagine a projected lineup like this one :
Dach Draisaitl Newhook
Caufield Suzuki Monahan
Roy Beck Anderson (?)
and perhaps players like Heinemann, Tuch, and RHP filling out the offensive group
with the mix of speed, grit, offensive skill that a d-core of Matheson Hutson Guehle Barron Xhekaj Mailloux and Reinbacher could bring....
One can dream can't he..........but perhaps this dream is not as far-fetched as many may think....
