Habs News | Canes GM Don Waddell Announced That Carolina Hurricanes Will Match Canadiens Offer Sheet Signed By Forward Sebastian Aho
ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA | MONTREAL, QC. — On Tuesday morning, the Carolina Hurricanes announced their intention to match the Montreal Canadiens offer sheet signed by Canes forward Sebastian Aho.
“This was an easy decision,” general manager Don Waddell said in a press release. “Sebastian is one of the best players in the league and the centerpiece of what we’re building here. We’ve spoken to him throughout this process and he’s made it clear that he wants to be in Raleigh and be a part of this organization.”
Once the offer was made on Monday afternoon, the Hurricanes had seven days to match the offer. Failing that, Aho would join the Canadiens according to the terms of the league’s CBA with a first, a second, and a third round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft going to the Hurricanes as compensation.
Take Warning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8UduTihawY
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) July 2, 2019
“I’m not angry. I’m just surprised that any team thought this had any chance of working,” said Tom Dundon, owner of the Carolina Hurricanes. “I guess the Carolina Hurricanes are still misunderstood if anyone anywhere thought this would be hard for us. I’m not upset with Sebastian, I am actually relieved to have this done. We all understand the players should do what they can to get their best contract. But this was never going to work for Montreal.”
Sebastien Aho agent Gerry Johannson mentioned on Monday that the two parties were not even close on a contract extension.
“I think that Sebastian 100 per cent wants to play in Montreal,” Johannson said. “He wouldn’t have signed an offer sheet if he didn’t want to play in Montreal.”
Sebastien Aho became the first player to sign an offer sheet since 2013 when Shea Weber signed one with the Philadelphia Flyers.
“I don’t think it is easy for Carolina,” Johannson said. “I can tell you for sure, it’s not easy for Carolina. Anybody who says this is easy is wrong. You can armchair quarterback any decision, but I can promise you this is an aggressive move … It’s a lot of money, and it’s a lot of front-loaded money.”
What is clear is that, to no one’s surprise, is that Aho’s agent had an agenda. And it’s fair to say that Johannson sold the Canadiens on a fairy tale.
“The question is, do you think you should believe an agent?” said Dundon in a conference call to reporters on Tuesday. “That’s a question, you guys can figure that out. But it is his right to use that leverage the CBA provides to get the most money out of us and that is all that happened.”
The contract Montreal offered to Aho will see him earn 21 million dollars in signing bonuses by next summer.
Tom Dundon: "There's no scenario where Sebastian Aho doesn't want to be on the Hurricanes. If he said that it would be different but he didn't. The fact that an agent said it means that there's no credibility to it, number one."
— Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) July 2, 2019
“It’s our job to manage our cap space as our players develop and hit free agency,” Waddell said on Tuesday. “There was no concern at any point that we would not be able to match this contract. Once again, the Carolina Hurricanes should not be underestimated. We have a plan and all the resources to win a Stanley Cup.”
Waddell reminded reporters that the Hurricanes had stated they would match any offer. While the agent was fully aware of this, Waddell said that Johannson sold the Canadiens on an idea that he clearly knew wouldn’t work.
“Unfortunately, the agent felt that this was a path to take instead of negotiating a contract like most agents in the league do,” added Waddell.
While the Hurricanes have announced their intention to match the offer sheet, Waddell indicated that they would take the time allowed by the CBA before the paperwork is filed. This will handcuff Marc Bergevin and the Canadiens for the time being with respect to the cap space and draft picks that they committed to the offer sheet.
On Tuesday, Bergevin refused comment on the Hurricanes announcement.