The Montreal Canadiens and general manager Kent Hughes are expected to sign one of their restricted free agents before training camp begins. As of now, the club has two key RFAs to sort out: Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. All indications point to the Canadiens wanting to keep both players. Nevertheless, Bolduc’s future is likely to be dealt with first.
According to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, the Canadiens should soon agree to terms with Bolduc. The young forward recently proclaimed that he would “love to play in Montreal for several seasons.” He also expressed trust in his agent, Pat Brisson, over the situation. Bolduc recently finished off a three-year, $4 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens.
Engels, however, believes Bolduc is set to receive a fairly significant raise in his next deal. “I’m not sure it’s coming today, but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t done before the Canadiens report for physicals on September 16,” claims Engels. “Neither Brisson nor the Canadiens are talking about it, but a three-year deal at around $4 million per year makes sense to me.”
While the Montreal native writer is somewhat lenient on the exact price tag of the extension, he believes the agreement will be a middle-ground deal. “If it’s not that, it could be two years, it could be four years, but I’m not betting on one or eight,” continued Engels. “I think something shorter-to-medium term benefits both parties, and we’ll see if they agree.”
Montreal Canadiens Widely Expected to Re-Sign Zachary Bolduc Soon
Engels is one of several NHL writers to believe Bolduc will re-sign with the Montreal Canadiens. Tony Marinaro and Brian Wilde of The Sick Podcast also recently claimed that the two sides would come to an agreement. NHL insider Marco D’Amico is confident that a deal will be reached soon as well. D’Amico, however, has a different idea of the exact term of the pending extension.
According to the respected journalist, Montreal would be wise to give Bolduc a seven-year deal worth $5 million AAV. The two sides, however, are likely negotiating these finer details of the contract extension at the moment. Either way, an agreement between the Canadiens and the winger is likely to be announced in the coming days.
The Montreal Canadiens previously acquired the young forward in a 2025 trade with the St. Louis Blues. General manager Kent Hughes opted to send defenseman Logan Mailloux to the Blues to grab Bolduc. Mailloux became an NHL regular this past season, recording 13 points in 67 games with St. Louis. According to Daily Faceoff, the blueliner is projected to be on the top line this season.
Montreal Can Afford to Reward Young Winger
Bolduc, on the other hand, is expected to be a bottom-six forward for the Montreal Canadiens. Nevertheless, the budding star has proven to be a reliable player for head coach Martin St. Louis. The forward recorded 30 points in 78 regular-season games during the 2025-26 season. He also added seven points in 19 playoff matchups this spring.
Montreal should be able to give the winger a $12 million ($4 million AAV) extension fairly easily. According to PuckPedia.com, the Canadiens have nearly $10 million in projected cap space. If the club wants to bring Xhekaj back, his annual salary will almost certainly be lower than Bolduc’s deal.
Canadiens Projected to Sign Young Forward in $12 Million Deal