Canadiens Miss Mark on Bolduc Extension

One way or another, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is getting things done, ahead of training camp. Even if it didn’t look particularly pretty, he inched closer to completing his roster on Sunday, re-signing forward Zachary Bolduc to a four-year, $16.8 million deal one day after signing prized-free-agent Chris Kreider.

With Bolduc done, just defenseman Arber Xhekaj, a fellow restricted free agent, remains unsigned. However, the forward group looks just about complete, barring the outcomes of any upcoming battles in training camp for the job of now just 14th forward, following the surprise move to acquire Kreider.

The Good, Bad and Ugly of Bolduc’s Extension

As things stand now though, the offense is undeniably looking improved, which is saying something for a team that ranked seventh with 279 goals in the regular season. Even those that don’t necessarily agree about Kreider, who is infamous in Montreal for having crashed into and injuring goalie Carey Price in the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, being the right fit have to acknowledge the contract itself is a good one, with the power forward agreeing to a low-risk, one-year deal worth just $2.15 million (excluding bonuses).

However great that deal was though, the Bolduc one was about as unimpressive on the surface. Critics can maybe blame the Philadelphia Flyers and Leo Carlsson, who signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet earlier this summer, for resetting the market, which effectively (and ironically) forced the Anaheim Ducks to make the decision to first match and then terminate Kreider’s contract, letting him test the open market and eventually sign with the Canadiens. All that to say, considering Bolduc’s at least slightly disappointing 30-point season, a contract that pays him more per annum than linemate Kirby Dach with more term, which walks him straight to unrestricted free agency once it expires in 2030, is less than ideal.

Zach Bolduc's 4-year deal doesn't come with any trade protection because it's not eligible for it.

All four years of this deal are RFA years.

It will however walk Bolduc straight into UFA status.

— Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) September 13, 2026

To be fair, Bolduc was always going to get a raise. However, a $4.2 million cap hit is fairly significant, or at least it would have been seen as such prior to hyperinflation setting in, a few weeks ago. In the wake of Kreider, a former 50-goal scorer, albeit one well out of his prime, agreeing to a significant pay cut from the $4 million in salary he had been slated to make with the Ducks, it does leave something of a bitter taste in one’s mouth. Furthermore, a bridge deal that only eats up some of Bolduc’s restricted free agency probably would have been the organizational preference. It’s nevertheless imperative to look at Bolduc’s body of work (despite him having been in the league for just two full seasons).

Bolduc’s Tantalizing Potential Still in Play

Prior to getting traded to the Canadiens last summer for defensive-prospect Logan Mailloux, Bolduc had a very good 19-goal, 36-point rookie season with the St. Louis Blues (72 games). More significantly, over his last 28 games with the Blues, Bolduc scored 14 goals and 21 points. Bolduc may have taken a step back this season with the Habs, but he still holds potential as a 17th-overall draft pick in 2021. Should he be given a sustained opportunity to produce in more of a significant role, there’s a good chance he rediscovers his scoring touch.

While the raise is probably more than many had envisioned Bolduc earning, the flip side is Hughes gave it to him for a reason. Hughes probably envisions him getting that chance in the future. In such an instance, the contract can still become a bargain, which would be more in line with expectations given Hughes’ own body of work (over four full seasons).

So, one possible takeaway is Bolduc probably figures prominently in the Canadiens’ future plans. He may not have earned that specific raise per se, but this is one instance where the Habs could be paying a player for what is to come instead of what they’ve already accomplished in the league. In a world where far too often GMs overpay veterans in free agency for their past accolades, that would be vastly preferable.

Through that lens, both Bolduc’s deal and the 35-year-old Kreider’s can be seen as having the fingerprints of a single man all over them. They each can still work out amazingly well. That would be relatively par for the course under Hughes.