3 Restricted Free Agent Targets the Canadiens Should Pursue This Summer

The offer sheet has made a major comeback in the NHL over the last few days, and teams are no longer afraid to use it as a weapon. The New Jersey Devils recently presented Utah Mammoth restricted free agent Barrett Hayton with a one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet, while the Philadelphia Flyers made an even bigger splash by handing Leo Carlsson a five-year contract worth $18 million annually. Whether those deals ultimately work out or not, they send a clear message: general managers are becoming more aggressive.

Could Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens be the next team to test the restricted free agent market? The Canadiens have cap space, a strong young core, and a window that is only beginning to open. While an offer sheet isn’t always the easiest route, there are a few Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) who could make a lot of sense for Montreal.

Simon Edvinsson 

If there is one player worth making a serious push for, it might be Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 222 pounds, Edvinsson is exactly the type of defenseman Montreal could use alongside its skilled puck movers. With Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson carrying much of the offensive workload from the back end, adding a big, mobile, shutdown defender would give the Canadiens a much more complete defensive group.

At just 23 years old, Edvinsson is already logging over 22 minutes per game against top competition while contributing offensively and defensively. His skating is exceptional for someone his size, and he has shown he can neutralize some of the league’s best forwards while still moving the puck efficiently.

A contract similar to the one Jackson LaCombe received, around $9 million per season, would likely be enough to make Edvinsson sign the offer sheet. Under the current compensation rules, that type of offer sheet would cost Montreal a first, second, and third-round pick.

Considering Edvinsson’s age, upside, and current level of play, that would be a very reasonable price to pay for a player who could anchor the Canadiens’ defense for the next decade.

Collin Graf 

Not every offer sheet has to be a blockbuster. San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf could be a much more affordable target while still addressing an area of need for Montreal. The 23-year-old right winger quietly put together an impressive season, recording 21 goals and 25 assists in 81 games.

Graf’s offensive production is attractive, but what makes him especially valuable is his complete game. He played on San Jose’s first-unit penalty kill, showing that he can be trusted defensively while still providing secondary scoring.

The Canadiens have been searching for more depth scoring and reliable two-way forwards. Graf checks both boxes while fitting perfectly within the team’s age group. He wouldn’t be expected to carry the offense, but he could develop into an excellent middle-six winger capable of contributing in every situation.

Adam Fantilli 

This is the least likely scenario, but it would also be the most exciting. Adam Fantilli is exactly the type of player every team dreams of building around. The Columbus Blue Jackets almost certainly have no intention of letting him leave, and they would likely match virtually any offer sheet that comes their way.

Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Canadiens shouldn’t try. The Flyers showed with their massive offer to Carlsson that sometimes the objective isn’t simply to steal the player, it is to force another organization into making an extremely difficult financial decision. Even if Columbus ultimately matches, an enormous contract could significantly complicate its long-term salary cap situation.

From Montreal’s perspective, Fantilli would solve the biggest question on the roster overnight. The Canadiens continue to search for a legitimate second-line center, and Fantilli fits that role perfectly. At only 21 years old, he already has the size, skating, offensive talent, and physical game to become one of the NHL’s premier centers.

After producing 24 goals and 35 assists last season, his best hockey is almost certainly still ahead of him. He fits Montreal’s competitive timeline perfectly alongside Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson.

Landing him would instantly elevate the Canadiens into one of the NHL’s most exciting young teams. Will Columbus match? Almost certainly. But sometimes forcing another team to commit significant cap space is valuable in itself, and if there is even the slightest chance of acquiring a player of Fantilli’s caliber, it may be worth taking the swing.

The Canadiens have the cap space, the draft capital, and the ambition to be aggressive. Offer sheets remain rare, but they are becoming a legitimate tool for NHL general managers. Whether it’s targeting a defenseman like Edvinsson, adding quality depth with Graf, or taking a blockbuster swing at Fantilli, Hughes has options if he wants to use the RFA market to continue building a Stanley Cup contender.