We need to do something in the realm of offer sheeting a guy like Subban.
This was possible before the Gomez buyout. Montreal now has $11m in cap space for next season.
Had the Wings offer sheeted Subban for $5.25/5 (or anything more than $4.5m/2) before the Gomez buyout, Montreal would not have been able to match it due to tagging rules; it would have put them over the cap for next year's roster.
Now? Not possible. Montreal would simply match the offer. When you get over ~$6.7m, compensation increases to 2x1st+2nd+3rd. Montreal might be willing to take that package. After ~$8.4m, it's 4 1sts, which Montreal should take for two reasons. First, they get four extra first round choices to help build their young club. Second, they're not paying a good defenseman superstar-level wages just because someone else was having trouble finding a defenseman. Markov, Gorges, Kaberle, and Emelin can more than hold down the fort if they replace Subban were someone to offer that kind of money. And they have top defense prospects like Tinordi coming up.