Montreal’s day started with a calculated swing and ended with another piece falling into place.
Chris Kreider is now a Canadien, and the fit is about as clean as it gets on paper. Montreal landed him on a one-year deal loaded with incentives, a move that barely dents the books unless he stays healthy and delivers. The Habs didn’t have to part with any assets, and in return they get a proven 22-goal scorer with playoff experience for a team that already surprised people by reaching the Eastern Conference Final last season.
The only real wrinkle is the memory. Kreider’s name still carries baggage in Montreal because of the collision with Carey Price that helped derail the Canadiens’ Cup push in 2014.
Some fans won’t be eager to forgive that anytime soon. But the people steering this deal clearly believe the upside outweighs the old grudge.
President Jeff Gorton, coach Martin St. Louis, and longtime trainer Jim Ramsay all know Kreider well and wanted him there.
Even Price reportedly has no issue with it. Kreider is 35, still chasing his first Stanley Cup, and he chose Montreal on a short-term, low-commitment contract.
That alone says plenty about his mindset.
Montreal wasn’t done there.
Hours after the Kreider signing, the Canadiens got another deal across the line by extending Zachary Bolduc for four years after a summer-long standoff. The 23-year-old winger had an uneven first season in Montreal after coming over from St.
Louis, finishing with 12 goals in the regular season. But he found another gear in the playoffs, posting seven points in 19 games.
Montreal is treating him like part of the future, right there with Suzuki, Caufield, and Demidov.
The timing matters almost as much as the contract itself. Kent Hughes kept moving, and the cap picture still leaves Montreal room to operate before the season begins. That kind of flexibility is the payoff for the kind of summer the Canadiens have had.
Edmonton’s situation, meanwhile, is a lot less tidy.
For months, the length of Babcock’s contract with the Oilers was kept quiet, and according to insider Pierre LeBrun, the reason was simple: teams have gotten better at hiding coaching term to avoid the kind of speculation this deal is now drawing. The real number is three years plus an option year, a major commitment for a coach whose history includes being run out of Detroit, Toronto, and Columbus without finishing what he started.
And the money trail is even more striking. Edmonton is effectively paying for three head coaches at once: Babcock’s new deal, the contract they had to absorb after firing Kris Knoblauch, and D.J.
Smith earning head-coach-level money as an associate. That’s a steep bill for a coach plenty of other teams wouldn’t touch.
It shows how badly the Oilers wanted Babcock - and how much leverage he had when he walked in.
In Other News...
Podkolzin Gives The Oilers Something Their Top Six Really Needed
Vasily Podkolzin turned a strong 2025-26 season into a real foothold with the Oilers, giving the club the kind of dependable top-six presence it had been looking for. After posting 19 goals and 37 points in 82 games, he showed he could bring more than energy and straight-line pressure, adding a physical edge and steady production that fit neatly alongside Edmontons established stars.
Podkolzins appeal is bigger than the numbers, though, because he can handle different spots in the lineup without losing his effectiveness. Edmonton now has a forward who looks built to keep supplying secondary scoring while doing the gritty work that helps a top group stay productive, and the next question is how high the Oilers are willing to lean on him as his role continues to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Former Flames Goalie Finally Lands Amid NHL's Late Goalie Scramble
The late-summer goalie market finally found a landing spot for Cam Talbot, who is expected to join the Columbus Blue Jackets on a one-year deal after their need at the position became more urgent. The 39-year-old veteran brings a long NHL resume, with 567 games under his belt, and he most recently saw action in 34 games for the Detroit Red Wings.
For Edmonton fans who remember Talbot from his days with the rival Flames, the move is another reminder of how quickly goaltending depth can become a priority. Columbus had to adjust after Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery, and Talbot now steps into a backup role as the Blue Jackets navigate the early part of their season with a patched-together crease. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Blue-Line Rumors Just Raised A Bigger Question Than Fans Knew
The blue-line buzz around Edmonton got a reality check this week, with Nikita Zadorov never coming close to changing teams despite the trade chatter that had him linked to the Oilers. The defenseman reportedly declined to waive his no-trade clause, shutting down a path that had briefly looked like a possible fit for a club still tracking every angle on its back end.
For Edmonton, the bigger takeaway is how quickly these rumors can grow around a team that is always being monitored for defensive help. And in the same stretch of league news, Ottawa is trying to lock up Drake Batherson on a long-term extension before the new CBA closes the door on eight-year deals, while Montreal rewarded Martin St. Louis with a multi-year commitment through 2029-30 after the Canadiens rise under his watch. [Read more 🡒]