The Montreal Canadiens still have a hole to fill behind Nick Suzuki at center, and the free-agent market doesn’t look like it’s going to hand them the answer. If they want a younger option who fits their timeline, Dallas Stars restricted free agent Mavrik Bourque checks a lot of boxes.
Bourque is a former first-round pick who has already shown real upward momentum in the NHL. In his rookie season, he put up 25 points.
Then he took a noticeable step forward, finishing with 41 points while nearly doubling his goal total from 11 to 20. For a Canadiens team that has been targeting players who are just entering their prime and can grow with the current core, that kind of profile stands out.
The fit makes sense, and so does the timing. Kent Hughes would not have to hesitate about a long-term deal if Montreal found a way to land Bourque. The issue is getting him out of Dallas in the first place.
Because Bourque is a restricted free agent, an offer sheet is one possible route. Elliotte Friedman noted that Bourque could be a candidate for one this summer.
But Montreal’s options are narrow. Due to draft pick compensation, the Canadiens can only extend offer sheets above $11.94 million or below $4.775 million in average annual value.
Since they do not have their 2027 third-round pick, anything in the $4.775 million to $11.94 million range is off the table.
They could, in theory, go with an AAV of $4,775,665. But it’s tough to picture Dallas letting that slide.
That leaves a trade as the more realistic path, and the Stars’ situation may open the door. Dallas appears to be waiting on resolution with Jason Robertson.
If Robertson leaves, the Stars would likely try to keep Bourque. If Robertson stays, though, their cap situation gets tighter, and moving Bourque could become the cleaner solution.
For Montreal, Bourque looks like the kind of ascending young center who could slot into the second line alongside Ivan Demidov. He’s a name worth watching over the next few days as Dallas sorts out the rest of its business.
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