The Montreal Canadiens are approaching a roster crunch, and the decisions won’t get any easier from here. With injured players like Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine inching closer to a return, the front office is going to have to make some tough calls-especially when it comes to their young forwards.
We saw the first domino fall when Josh Anderson returned to the lineup and Owen Beck was sent down to Laval. That move made sense.
Beck is young, waiver-exempt, and still developing. But the next decision won’t be as straightforward.
There are three other players who can be sent to Laval without needing to clear waivers: Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Zach Bolduc. But let’s be real-Demidov and Kapanen aren’t going anywhere.
Alongside Juraj Slafkovsky, they’ve formed one of the most dynamic second lines Montreal has iced in years. Demidov is leading all NHL rookies with 39 points in 47 games, while Kapanen, with 27 points, leads all rookies in goals with 16.
These two have been electric, and their chemistry is undeniable. You don’t break up something that’s working this well.
That leaves Bolduc, and his situation is a little more complicated.
On paper, his numbers don’t jump out-18 points in 47 games. That’s a step back from the 36 points he posted in 72 games with St.
Louis last season. But context matters, and Bolduc hasn’t exactly had a stable environment to thrive in.
While Demidov and Kapanen have had each other since day one, Bolduc’s been caught in a season-long game of musical chairs.
He’s skated with just about everyone: Dach and Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno and Owen Beck, Veleno and Joshua Roy, Anderson and Jake Evans, even a short stint with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Lately, he’s been lining up with Philip Danault and Anderson, though Gallagher briefly stepped in due to an injury. That kind of rotation makes it tough for any player to find rhythm, let alone a 22-year-old trying to carve out a consistent role.
The Canadiens acquired Bolduc in the Logan Mailloux trade with the expectation that he’d be more than just a role player. And while the offensive numbers haven’t popped yet, there are signs he’s doing the right things.
He’s third on the team in hits with 90-trailing only Veleno (97) and Arber Xhekaj (116)-and he’s ahead of Anderson, who’s known for his physicality. He’s also sixth among forwards in blocked shots with 23.
That tells you he’s engaged, playing a 200-foot game, and not just floating around the ice.
The effort is there. The production hasn’t followed yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t.
Bolduc isn’t flailing out there-he’s making smart plays, staying in position, and doing the little things coaches love. When Anderson returned, it was Gallagher-not Bolduc-who got bumped to the fourth line.
That says something about how the coaching staff views his game.
So, what’s next? Could Bolduc benefit from a stint in Laval?
Possibly. He’s only played 54 AHL games in his career, and a short run with Pascal Vincent’s squad during the Olympic break could give him a chance to reset and build some confidence without missing NHL action.
But even if that happens, it wouldn’t be a demotion-it’d be a strategic move to help his development.
For now, the Canadiens seem willing to be patient. And that’s the right call.
There’s more to Bolduc’s game than what shows up on the scoresheet, and with a little stability, he could still turn into a key piece of the puzzle. Martin St.
Louis has shown he can unlock potential in young players, and Bolduc might be next in line.