Canadiens' Zachary Bolduc Sends Message With Contract Still Unresolved
The Canadiens forward remains one of two restricted free agents still unsigned heading into the final month before training camp, alongside defenseman Arber Xhekaj.
Speaking with RDS, Bolduc addressed the uncertainty. "I'd love to play in Montreal for several seasons. But on the other hand, management has to make their own decisions too. Like I said, I'm not going to get ahead of myself on anything, but I trust my agent on that end and I'm confident that good things are coming."
Fresh Benchmark Just Complicated Things
The negotiation got more complicated this month.
Pittsburgh's decision to sign Ville Koivunen to an eight-year, $32 million extension gave Bolduc's camp a new comparable to point to, despite Koivunen having just 14 career NHL points to his name.
#Habs Zachary Bolduc on his future in MTL (via RDS)
— Chris G (@ChrisHabs360) August 17, 2026
"I'd love to play in Montreal for several seasons. But on the other hand, management has to make their own decisions too. Like I said, I'm not going to get ahead of myself on anything, but I trust my agent on that end and I'm… pic.twitter.com/BbfHl1j2fF
That contrasts sharply with Bolduc's actual production. He posted 30 points, including 10 goals, in 78 games last season after arriving from St. Louis in a one-for-one trade that sent Logan Mailloux the other way, then elevated his game further in the playoffs, tallying seven points in 19 games while ranking second on the team in hits during Montreal's postseason run.
Bridge Deal Or Long-Term Commitment
The Canadiens are weighing a two-year bridge contract against a longer-term extension, contrasting with how Montreal has handled similar situations before.
Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook both received four-year deals while the team continued evaluating their long-term fit, while Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov landed eight-year extensions after convincing rookie seasons.
Bolduc's case falls somewhere in between.
With less than $10 million in cap space remaining, Kent Hughes is trying to sign both Bolduc and Xhekaj while preserving enough flexibility to make other moves, including a potential trade for a scoring winger.
Is there any chance that Zack Bolduc and/or Arber Xhekaj remained unsigned after the start of training camp?#GoHabsGo #thesickpodcast @TonyMarinaro @BWildeMTL pic.twitter.com/5Km7KrbOLV
— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) August 20, 2026
Bolduc, for his part, has said the right things about earning his opportunity instead of demanding it. "You always want a bigger role, more responsibility, and more ice time, but those are all things you have to earn," he told RDS. "It'll be up to me to show up to camp and prove that I can help this team when I'm out on the ice, earn my minutes, and take on more responsibility."
