As training camp draws closer, the Montreal Canadiens still have work to do with Zachary Bolduc, and a fresh contract in Boston may have just made that job harder.
Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj are both still waiting on better deals, and neither side seems eager to let this drag into camp. But Bolduc’s camp now has a new point of reference thanks to the Bruins, where Fraser Minten just locked in a seven-year extension worth $7.2 million annually.
Minten still has one year left on his entry-level deal, but Boston clearly sees him as part of its future. The comparison matters because he and Bolduc sit in a similar lane: young players with plenty of upside. In some ways, Bolduc has already done more to this point, which is exactly why this number could complicate things for Montreal.
Minten’s NHL résumé is still short. He played his first full season last year and finished with 35 points in 82 games. The Bruins are taking a big swing by betting on that profile for seven years, and it’s the kind of contract that could age very well - or look shaky fast.
Bolduc’s case is stronger on paper. He already has two seasons with at least 30 points, and he flashed in a big way during the 2026 postseason.
In his second playoff run, he posted seven points in 19 games. That was a clear step up from his first postseason with the St.
Louis Blues in 2025, when he managed just one point in seven games.
Boston, meanwhile, has every reason to believe Minten can become a core piece. Still, there’s a reason to be cautious after he was mostly quiet in the Bruins’ first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.
For Montreal, the timing is awkward. The Canadiens already have a contract structure built around players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, all of whom sit in the $7 million annual range. Ivan Demidov also recently signed an extension that starts next season at $9.125 million annually, which fits the current market as the salary cap keeps climbing.
That’s where Kent Hughes gets squeezed. With his background as an agent, he knows exactly why Bolduc would look at Minten’s deal and want no less.
At the same time, it would be tough to justify pushing Bolduc anywhere close to the money given to Montreal’s top line. Without knowing Bolduc’s exact ask, the Minten contract has the potential to keep this negotiation alive well into training camp - and maybe beyond.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Chris Kreider Option Worth Debating
Chris Kreiders availability has changed the conversation for Montreal in a pretty meaningful way. Instead of needing to engineer a trade to get him out of New York, the Canadiens can now consider a straight free-agent signing, which opens the door to a shorter-term add that would not cost them assets. For a team still shaping its forward group, that kind of flexibility matters, especially when the player in question brings a track record of scoring, playoff experience and a heavier style that can play in more than one type of game.
The fit is easy to see from Montreals side because Kreider checks a lot of boxes the Canadiens have been missing at different points. He could provide a useful layer of immediate help without forcing a long-term commitment, and his physical presence would give the roster a different look. The unanswered part is whether Montreal sees enough value to move quickly on the idea, or whether this stays one of those tempting options that makes sense on paper but never quite reaches the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face One Big Kirill Marchenko Trade Problem
Kirill Marchenkos name has quietly entered the trade conversation around the Blue Jackets, and that is enough to make the market worth watching for Canadiens fans. Columbus general manager Don Waddell has said he is willing to listen if teams come calling, even if he is not actively working the phones on a deal right now. Montreal has been mentioned as one of the clubs with interest, alongside the Islanders, which is no surprise given how hard it can be to find young scoring help without paying a premium.
The problem is the price tag and the type of return Columbus would actually require. Waddell has made it clear that any move would have to bring back a roster player who can help replace Marchenkos offense, and that is where the fit gets tricky for Montreal. Canadiens analyst Pierre McGuire has also expressed skepticism about whether the sides line up, saying he does not see a realistic match between what Columbus would want and what Montreal would be willing to part with. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Risk A Costly Distraction With Martin St. Louis Unsettled
Martin St. Louis has become one of the most important steadying forces in Montreal, and that matters even more now that the Canadiens are trying to turn their young core into a legitimate playoff group. His work behind the bench has been a big part of the development arc for key players, and the teams progress has made it harder to imagine the next step coming without some continuity at coach.
Still, the contract situation hanging over St. Louis adds a layer the Canadiens do not need as they try to keep moving forward. With a roster built around growth and internal belief, Montreal would be wise to settle the coaching picture before the next season becomes a backdrop for questions about his future. The Canadiens have enough to manage on the ice without letting uncertainty become part of the story around their bench. [Read more 🡒]