3. Montreal Canadiens
Before Panarin signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin made a hard push for the former KHL star, according to Marc de Foy of Le Journal de Montréal.
Well, Bergevin just might get a second chance to land the flashy forward this offseason. Panarin would be a wonderful fit for a Montreal team loaded with some nice young and veteran talents, starting in goal with Carey Price.
Max Domi broke out in his first year with Montreal by logging 72 points, while Tomas Tatar (58 points) Jonathan Drouin (53 points), and Phillip Danault (53 points) contributed plenty of offense as well. Ryan Poehling could be in line for a monster rookie year in 201-20, while Jesperi Kotkaniemi promises to elevate his game next season.
Veterans Price, Shea Weber, and Brendan Gallagher also give Montreal a fighting chance to try and make the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup next season. In short, the long-term future in Montreal is ultra bright, and Bergevin needs to try and build upon this promising core he’s assembled.
Adding a player like Panarin to this group would take Montreal from playoff bubble team to legitimate championship contender. The likes of Kotkaniemi and Domi would maximize their productions with Panarin.
This is Bergevin’s chance to make a giant splash. Their Atlantic Division foes will be facing serious cap crunches down the road, so this is where he has to go all-in and try to sign Panarin — no matter the cost.