The Canadiens’ weekend business wrapped up with another key piece falling into place.
Montreal signed restricted free-agent forward Zachary Bolduc to a four-year, US$16.8-million contract on Sunday, giving the 23-year-old a US$4.2-million annual salary-cap hit. The deal came one day after general manager Kent Hughes added veteran winger Chris Kreider on a one-year, US$2.15-million contract that can grow by another US$3.125 million in bonus performances.
Bolduc arrived in Montreal last summer in the trade that sent defenceman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues, and he quickly became a useful part of the lineup.
He finished last season with 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 78 games, then added 3-4-7 in 19 playoff games. Even with just 11:23 of average ice time in the postseason, he was second on the Canadiens with 47 hits, behind only Kaiden Guhle’s 51.
With Kreider and Bolduc now signed, Puckpedia lists Montreal as having a little more than US$3.4 million in cap space remaining. The one notable unsigned restricted free agent left is Arber Xhekaj.
Nick Suzuki addressed both Bolduc and Xhekaj when he spoke to reporters at the Asista Foundation Heroes Golf Tournament late last month, and the Canadiens captain made clear how he sees them.
"Both are really important players," Nick Suzuki told reporters about Bolduc and Xhekaj when the Canadiens captain hosted the Asista Foundation Heroes Golf Tournament late last month. "Zach had a good year.
He took steps throughout the season and into the playoffs. Obviously, Arber is a big and important piece for our locker room and on the ice.
So, hopefully, both guys can get it done. There's still plenty of time, so pretty hopeful."
Xhekaj, 25, put up 1-3-4 in 65 games last season while leading the team with 116 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenceman also sat out as a healthy scratch for six of Montreal’s 19 playoff games and recorded 1-1-2 in the 13 he played.
Bolduc’s new contract also keeps him in the Canadiens’ growing long-term core. He is now signed through the 2029-30 season, along with Suzuki and goalie Jakub Dobes. Cole Caufield, Mike Matheson and Guhle are under contract through 2030-31, Juraj Slafkovsky and Noah Dobson through 2032-33, Lane Hutson through 2033-34 and Ivan Demidov through 2034-35.
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