The offseason chatter in Pittsburgh, Montreal and Edmonton is heading in three very different directions, but each one has a clear contract or trade question hanging over it.
Start with Sidney Crosby, because that one sounds closest to getting resolved. Crosby is heading into the final season of his current deal, and extension talks with the Penguins are expected to happen before summer ends.
His agent, Pat Brisson, has not really begun the contract conversation yet, but the expectation is that both sides will get it done. Crosby is not talking retirement; the issue is simply how long the next contract runs.
The money, according to Yohe, should land in the familiar range - likely around Crosby’s $8.7M, since that is what he has been signing for with his jersey number - and could go higher if needed. The bigger decision is term, with one year or two the main question.
Pittsburgh’s first preseason game is Sept. 21, and the Penguins open Sept. 30 against the Flyers, so there is a real chance the extension is finished before then.
In Montreal, the Zachary Bolduc-for-Logan Mailloux trade is still sparking debate, but the bigger storyline now is Bolduc’s next contract. The Canadiens made the unusual July 1, 2025 swap, and early on it looked like Bolduc gave them the edge.
He scored in his first three games and finished with 30 points (12-18), though he also cooled off and posted a -6 rating. Mailloux had his own struggles, with limited NHL time, some adjustment issues, and a -10.
Bolduc remains a restricted free agent and has not signed yet, and his comments suggest he wants to stay in Montreal long-term while also not being completely sure where management stands. The Canadiens are weighing a bridge deal or a longer commitment, and the broader money climate around young players is only making that decision more charged.
Edmonton’s situation is more about what comes next on the trade front. The Oilers are expected to be in the market for another top-nine forward in 2026-27, but the list of possible targets will depend heavily on how the league sorts itself out.
A number of rebuilding or retooling teams could become trade partners, with names popping up from Vancouver to Pittsburgh. The Penguins look like a particularly natural match because of their winger options, including Rakell, Rust, and maybe Kuzmenko if they decide to sell.
Detroit could be the bigger swing if Alex DeBrincat becomes available. The Rangers’ Lafrenière, Vancouver’s Chytil or Drew O’Connor, and Seattle’s Wright or McCann are also names to watch.
Divisional trades, though, can come at a premium, which only complicates things for Edmonton.
In Other News...
Nick Suzuki Is Forcing A Canadiens Debate The NHL Still Ignores
Nick Suzukis rise has put the Canadiens in an interesting place heading into the new season. After topping the club in points and assists and reaching the 100-point mark for the first time in his NHL career last year, he also added a Frank J. Selke Trophy to a resume that keeps getting harder to ignore. He was among the leagues best in several statistical categories, represented Canada at the Olympics and now sits in the fifth year of his eight-year contract, which only sharpens the sense that Montreal has its captain locked in for the long haul.
What makes the conversation linger is how far Suzukis game has come and how little it still seems to shift the wider NHL discussion around him. The Canadiens have been able to watch him grow into a centerpiece who impacts the game at both ends, yet his national profile still feels a step behind the production and the hardware. For Montreal, that gap is part of the intrigue now, because the debate around Suzuki is no longer about whether he belongs among the leagues top players, but how long it will take for everyone else to catch up. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Prospect Debate Is Heating Up For One Surprising Reason
The Canadiens prospect conversation got a little more interesting when the NHLs official site slotted Gleb Pugachyov ahead of Alexander Zharovsky on its latest organizational ranking. Pugachyov, taken 26th overall, fits the kind of sturdy power-forward mold teams often trust more readily, while Zharovsky has been drawing attention for his offensive touch and a strong recent run in the KHL.
For Montreal, the order says as much about projection as it does about production. Zharovsky may have the flashier scoring resume, but NHL.com appears to be weighing Pugachyovs broader safety net more heavily, which makes the gap between the two a useful snapshot of how different evaluators can see the same pool of talent very differently. [Read more 🡒]
Zachary Bolduc Is Pushing For A Bigger Canadiens Role Fast
Zachary Bolduc is wasting no time making his intentions clear as he settles into life with the Canadiens. The forward said he wants to earn a bigger role and more ice time by putting in the work at training camp, and hes keeping the focus on what he can control rather than trying to script his place in the lineup. For a Montreal team always sorting through its depth, that kind of approach fits the environment as much as the talent does.
Bolducs case for a larger opportunity starts with last season, when he put up 30 points in 78 games. Now the challenge is turning that production into trust, which is often the real currency in camp. He knows role decisions belong to the coach, but the message is pretty direct: if he keeps pushing, he wants to move up the depth chart and make it impossible to ignore him. [Read more 🡒]