Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
This is unquestionably the story of the summer for Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens.
Or at the very least, it’s the file that has generated the most discussion around the Canadiens this offseason.
And now, PM Perron is offering a bold suggestion to bring Kirill Marchenko to Montreal: a sign-and-trade paired with a long-term contract.
The idea is gaining traction as Marchenko’s name has dominated the conversation in Montreal for days.
Perron has a plan to get the deal done.
His contract structure is certainly specific.
He would have Marchenko sign a six-year deal worth $11.3 million per season as part of a trade to the Montreal Canadiens.
That number isn’t random.
It would represent 9.5% of the Canadiens’ salary cap, the exact same percentage as Noah Dobson‘s contract.
Such a deal would keep Marchenko from becoming an unrestricted free agent until age 32, giving both the player and the organization long-term stability.
Kirill Marchenko pitch puts pressure on Kent Hughes
That contract would guarantee seven years of Marchenko and Ivan Demidov playing side by side in Montreal.
Two talented Russian players on the same unit for that long is an exciting thought.
Perron takes it even further.
He believes the Canadiens should make Marchenko feel like part of the family within what he describes as the best culture in the league.
He even goes as far as saying the winger would be treated like a king in Montreal.
That would be part of the pitch to convince the player and his agent to commit, especially since Perron was directly responding to a post from Dan Milstein, Marchenko’s agent.
The idea looks appealing on paper, but it would be far from simple to execute.
The real question remains: Is Kent Hughes prepared to commit that much money and term to Marchenko?
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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Kent Hughes urged to make blockbuster Kirill Marchenko move with $67.8 million proposal
Should the Canadiens offer a six-year, $11.3 million contract to land Kirill Marchenko?