The Montreal Canadiens still have to figure out what to do with Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. Both budding stars are currently restricted free agents. As a result, their futures are very much in the air at the moment. With training camp just a few weeks away, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes would prefer to take care of the situations as soon as possible.
Bolduc is widely viewed as Montreal’s more important player of the duo. After all, the young forward was a mainstay in the Canadiens lineup this past season. Xhekaj, on the other hand, has been a healthy scratch at times under head coach Martin St. Louis. Montreal also has a logjam in the enforcer’s role on the left side of defense.
Bolduc recently addressed his precarious future with the Montreal Canadiens. The forward admitted that he is very open to re-signing with the club, but also fueled trade speculation. “I’d love to play in Montreal for several seasons,” Bolduc told RDS. “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.”
While the winger did not exactly hint at a pending deal with the Canadiens, Tony Marinaro and Brian Wilde of The Sick Podcast believe he will remain in Montreal. “I think Bolduc will definitely sign for sure,” claimed Marinaro. Wilde agreed with his partner’s thoughts. The podcaster, however, has some doubts over the Xhekaj situation.
Montreal Canadiens Urged to Give Zachary Bolduc $5 Million AAV
GettyZachary Bolduc is coming off an up-and-down 2025-26 season with the Montreal Canadiens.
Marinaro’s assessment of Bolduc’s future with the Montreal Canadiens essentially echoes that of Marco D’Amico. The NHL insider also recently predicted that the forward will remain with the team. Speaking on The Starr & D’Amico Show, the journalist even hinted at a potential contract term between the two sides.
“If you could sign Bolduc at seven years, $5 million AAV, I think that’s a good deal to bank on his future,” D’Amico stated on August 11. “And it fits with the timeline of the Montreal Canadiens. But I also understand the Montreal Canadiens saying, ‘Was it a really good season overall? There were flashes, and then obviously he played much better in the playoffs, but we’d still like to see a little bit more.’”
The insider eventually admitted that Bolduc and Montreal agreeing to a three-year extension “makes the most sense.” According to PuckPedia.com, the Canadiens have nearly $10 million in projected cap space. The winger recently finished off a three-year, $4 million contract.
Winger’s Playoff Play Should Ease Montreal’s Concerns
Although Bolduc was streaky in his first season with the Montreal Canadiens, he was dependable in the recent postseason. In fact, the young forward featured in all 19 of his team’s playoff games and contributed with seven points. This is even more impressive considering the winger only averaged just over 11 minutes on the ice per matchup.
As D’Amico points out, it should be a fairly safe bet to re-sign Bolduc. While the two sides have to come to an agreement, it seems as if an extension is the most likely scenario in the situation.
Canadiens Expected to Sign Budding Star Despite Trade Links