I think this is exactly the bold move the Canes eventually *have* to make if they're going to be serious about having an NHL-level defense. However, I think you guys are seriously underestimating what it would take to get Montreal not to match. This is one of the reasons there's an unwritten "no offer sheets" rule. Because for the most part, it's a waste of time. Anything in the general vicinity of reasonable will be matched, and all we did was get a key player on a conference rival re-signed.
If you're going to do this, you need to make it hurt (i.e. Philly signing Weber) and even then it might not work (i.e. the Preds matching).
And with the new contract rules, I'm not even sure it's possible to "make it hurt" the way the Flyers did to the Predators. It's definitely not possible for us to give Subban 30 percent of the full value of the deal in the first 366 days, like Philly did to Nashville. So if it's a Benn-type deal, Montreal won't like it because they don't want to give the long-term deal, but they'll match and all we did was piss off a potential trade partner and -- as I said before -- make Montreal a better team.
Having said all that, it wouldn't bother me if we went nuts for Subban, and made Montreal squirm. I like the guy and his skillset. I like his speed, his youth and his charisma. I'd give three No. 1s.