Marc Bergevin has Montreal in prime position to make trades
Eric Engels of SportsNet: Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin possesses an abundance of riches and pieces to dangle in trades. Yes, Montreal did little in the summer but there are still chances to improve. The restricted free agent market offers a little window of potential in the next few days and weeks.
Again, Montreal has 12 picks, $7 million in cap space, and a full roster which allows Bergevin options. Yes, Montreal appear happy with team chemistry but if there are opportunities, they will be explored.
“Marc and I are on the phone every day and you never know what can happen moving forward,” the owner said. “The general managers across this league never stop talking to each other about opportunities and if there’s a good one for us to make our team better then we would do it.”
With the prospect pool pushing for spots, Bergevin knows the next level is close at hand. He must find a way to reach that level. Montreal facing another year of missing the playoffs would be unacceptable.
Max Domi, the Montreal Canadiens, and an eventual extension?
Jared Clinton of The Hockey News: The restricted free agent market dictates a few more changes to come. However, the Max Domi extension is a topic which has been explored by Marc Bergevin and the agent of Domi. The forward enters the final year of a two-year bridge deal. Montreal hopes to avoid some of the problems other teams have experienced this summer.
There exists a growing need for patience when it comes to a new deal for Max Domi. Domi tallied 53 even-strength points and 72 points (28 goals, 44 assists) in 2018-19. Would it be smart for the forward to bet on himself? Another 70-point campaign pushes his asking salary up a little more.
The question becomes when does Montreal negotiate with a more concrete framework for a deal with Domi? This presents as a gamble with a unique payoff. Who blinks first? Montreal or Max Domi? Hopefully, an eventual new deal benefits both team and player.