TORONTO – Highly touted Canadian hockey prospect Sidney Crosby is in contract talks with Swiss club Lugano, his agent told the Canadian Press yesterday, and considering bypassing the National Hockey League for a possible more lucrative offer.

“It’s a serious offer,” agent Pat Brisson said of the talks with Lugano. We’re keeping in mind that Sidney’s goal is to play in the National Hockey League, but we have to listen.”

Negotiations between the NHL and the players association to reach a new collective bargaining agreement is expected to contain an entry-level salary limit of $850,000 a season over three years.

“Not knowing what the entry-level restrictions will be in the upcoming CBA, we need to cover our bases,” Brisson said.

Crosby, the most valuable player award winner the past two years in the junior Canadian Hockey League with Rimouski Oceanic, has already signed multiyear endorsement contracts with Reebok and Gatorade.

Should the 17-year-old Crosby sign with Lugano before being drafted by an NHL team, Brisson said there would be some kind of clause that would allow him to return to North America if he chose.

David Aebischer, Jason Blake, Martin Gelinas, Alex Tanguay, and Kimmo Timonen all played for Lugano last season during the lockout.