With a bunch of UFA's leaving Columbus this year, I don't see how they wouldn't match this. They have the money and the need to keep all their core that's left, intact.

Agreed. They'll let the UFAs go before allowing this to happen.

Skinner will need another $1.5M more, esp to play in MTL.

I agree too, I'm just curious as to who exactly will leave and stay depending on how deep they go this year?
Say they somehow win the cup...is Panarin, bob, and duchene really leaving a cup winning team?

They'll be shown the door with a grateful pat on the ass, but no way they keep those guys at the expense of allowing Werensky to leave as a RFA.

I dono. If they win the cup, they keep their star goalie, star center, and star winger, and let one of their star Dmen (already have seth jones locked in) at the expense of a first, second, and third round draft pick.
I feel you got better chance of going for the cup again by putting priority on your number 1 Center, winger and goalie

Everyone else would walk for nothing in return.

You can have Gustafsson for less from CHI, or you could just get Gardiner for free. CBJ wont trade Werenski.

Both Bobrovsky and Panarin are gone, So there's no way that Columbus wouldn't match an $8 million Offer Sheet. Would probably need to be in the Drew Doughty range to really strap Columbus.