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Zachary Bolduc: no rookie has scored more goals than him following the 4 Nations

It’s done: Logan Mailloux has been traded. In the end, the defenseman headed for St. Louis… but not for Jordan Kyrou, as many had hoped.

That said, the Habs did get their hands on a nice piece in Zachary Bolduc. Our colleague Marc-Olivier Cook introduced him to you earlier today.

In 2024-25, Bolduc played his first year in the NHL. And before the 4 Nations Confrontation, the Québécois wasn’t fully finding his stride, with just six goals and 12 assists in 46 games.

But clearly, the break did him good, as in his 26 post-4 Nations games, Bolduc scored 13 goals and 18 points. Playing with Robert Thomas obviously helped him get off the ground, and he was a big part of the Blues’ late-season comeback.

And Bolduc’s 13 goals made him the NHL’s top rookie during that period. Alexandre Pratt talked about it on X.

Colleague Marc-Olivier Cook insisted that Bolduc has a good shot, and at the end of the season last year, we saw it clearly on the St. Louis side. We’re talking about a guy who clearly showed at the end of the season last year that he’s capable of being an important offensive element.

And it really makes you wonder if the Habs didn’t acquire him to try and play him on the second line in place of Patrik Laine.

We know that Ivan Demidov is an excellent playmaker, and with a guy who has a shot like Bolduc’s, there’s a way to see a scenario in which the two connect well on the ice.

And if that doesn’t work out, Bolduc on a third line is a nice luxury.

In Bolduc, then, the Habs are betting on a guy who showed some great things at the end of the season. We’re banking on the youngster’s potential… and on the fact that he could be a nice complement to Demidov in the immediate future.

He may not be the second center everyone’s been hoping for, but he’s still a great catch for the Habs.

extension

– A nice souvenir.

– Still.

– Interesting.

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Michael Pezzetta signs two-year contract with Maple Leafs

Michael Pezzetta was drafted by the Canadiens in 2016.

Today, however, we learn that he’s leaving the Montreal organization.

El Pezz has signed a two-year (!) contract with the Toronto Leafs. He’s joining the enemy… Hehe.

Honestly, I’m happy for him.

He’s always been appreciated in Montreal because we’re talking about a good guy. He always had the right attitude even if he didn’t necessarily play every night and he always worked hard in practice too.

I wonder, though, what his role will be like in Toronto.

But seeing him come home (he grew up in Toronto) must be encouraging for him.

More details to come…

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Joel Armia and Corey Perry move to Los Angeles

I don’t know who will win the Stanley Cup in 2026, but I do know who will lose it.

The Los Angeles Kings, the Ducks’ rivals, have acquired the services of Corey Perry. Perry leaves the Oilers after two playoff runs that ended in the final.

Bob McKenzie was the first to break the news.

But that’s not all: the Kings have also acquired Joel Armia. He’s another former player who played under Marc Bergevin in Montreal, no less.

The news comes from Frank Seravalli.

Details to follow…

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Christian Dvorak signs (high-priced) contract with Flyers

We suspected that Christian Dvorak would be leaving the Canadiens.

Now it’s confirmed.

The center forward has signed a one-year contract with the Flyers… a deal that will pay him $5.4M (!) in 2025-2026.

Dvorak’s stay in Montreal wasn’t exactly glorious.

But…

We can still appreciate the fact that he played an important role in the club’s success at the end of last season. He stepped up, helped the Canadiens secure their playoff berth and now he’s been rewarded with a nice contract.

Good for him.

More details to come…

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Meet Zachary Bolduc, the new acquisition of the Canadiens de Montréal

The Canadiens traded Logan Mailloux.

And in return… Kent Hughes managed to get his hands on a very good player in Zachary Bolduc.

But who is Zachary Bolduc?

We’re talking about a six-foot, 187-pound offensive forward who plays wing – and played center in the AHL in 2023-2024 for 33 games. Bolduc finished his first full NHL season with 19 goals and 36 points (72 games)… a very interesting production for a 22-year-old.

Ah… and we’re also talking about a guy with an excellent shot. His wrist shot is as precise as it is powerful:

Bolduc knows how to get it in.

He scored 50 and 55 goals in his last two junior seasons with the Quebec Remparts.

He exploded under Patrick Roy and also helped the Remparts win the Memorial Cup in 2023.

But what’s interesting about him is how well the forward has transposed his game to the National Hockey League. He was quickly able to succeed in St. Louis because he was well surrounded… and he’ll be just as successful in Montreal because the Canadiens have a great forward group.

The Blues’ first-round pick in 2021 comes to Montreal with the goal of helping the Canadiens, and at this level, I have a feeling he could quickly find a place in the team’s top-6.

He played on the first line in St. Louis last season for a while, after all, and had become an important part of the Blues’ line-up.

The Canadiens wanted to add some offensive punch to the attack… and Kent Hughes managed to do it by picking up a guy with good potential. He doesn’t have the biggest frame, but he plays big and has a devastating shot.

And we’re talking about a Québécois from Trois-Rivières, to boot. That’s even better!

Extension

I also wonder if Martin St-Louis will make room for him on one of the two waves of the powerplay.

The Habs have some good forwards… but taking advantage of Bolduc’s powerplay shooting makes sense too.

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Logan Mailloux heads to Saint-Louis, says Elliotte Friedman

Logan Mailloux is a name that has long been circulating on the market.

We know that the Canadiens aren’t necessarily the defenseman’s biggest fans, and now the right-handed defenseman will continue his pro career in St. Louis.

Elliotte Friedman reports that Jordan Kyrou will not be part of the deal.

Details to come…

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Jake Allen signs five-year contract in New Jersey

The New Jersey Devils have managed to retain the services of Jake Allen.

The goaltender had been negotiating in the last few hours to stay with the Devils, and now it’s done. But the contract structure is special, as it’s a five-year deal.

He will earn a total of $9 million, since his impact on the payroll is… $1.8 million.

The contract is a surprise. After all, you’d expect more guaranteed money, more money per year… but fewer years. The veteran is almost 35…

Clearly, he’s done the Devils a favor by signing such a contract. The Devils are stretching the sauce in terms of years to lower the per-year value of the contract each year.

It’s a bit like Brad Marchand, but…

But Marchand signed a contract until he’s 43, and he hasn’t compromised on the total amount. We know he’ll end his career on the long-term injured list.

But Allen? Not necessarily.

He could therefore play out the five years of his contract at a lower price. He earned $3.85 million a year on the heels of his last contract, signed in Montreal. But the transaction with the Devils involved money withheld.

Details to come…

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The Canadiens have reportedly made an offer to Joe Veleno

According to Marc-Olivier Beaudoin, the Canadiens have made Joe Veleno a contract offer.

The offer would be in the $1 million range – nothing too big for a player who hasn’t performed to the best of his ability since arriving in the NHL.

No decision has been made, however.

As Beaudoin mentions, there are other teams in the running: the Golden Knights, the Blues, the Panthers and the Canucks would also be in the running for the Québécois.

That’s normal: clubs like discounts.

Of course, a player can’t normally sign before noon, and officially, he can’t even talk to other teams before noon on July 1. That’s the rule.

But since he was bought out by the Kraken, Veleno is an exception.

The 25-year-old Montrealer has played with the Sea Dogs and Voltigeurs in the Q. He even earned the title of outstanding player in major junior.

In Detroit and Chicago, he scored 38 goals in 306 games. So he never played up to expectations. Would that change if he were in Montreal, where he’s been practicing for the past few days.

It should also be noted that his agent is Philippe Lecavalier, who is Vincent’s brother and an employee of Quartexx. Need I remind you of the links between Kent Hughes and Quartexx?

To be continued.

overtime

– That’s right.

– Ouch.

– Of note.

– Good, good, good.

– Contract in Calgary.

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Christian Dvorak: “Don’t expect him to come back to Montreal”

The free agent market opens at noon.

The Canadiens won’t necessarily be signing the biggest names on the market, but we can expect to see Kent Hughes adding forwards to his organization soon.

As colleague Maxime Truman said, it just makes sense.

Because the Habs have lost a number of forwards recently, many of them will have to be replaced… or a few guys brought back who were in Quebec in 2024-2025, but are now free as a bird.

One of the names circulating is Christian Dvorak. Yes, that formerly unloved guy who found himself a role in the city in 2025, four years after his arrival in the metropolis.

What’s going on with him?

Well, it’s important to know that the fact that he’s a center gives him value, and he could go for a nice contract. And the more time goes by, the more it seems to be elsewhere than Montreal. Marco D’Amico put in a good word for me on Twitter.

I’ve been told not to expect Christian Dvorak to return to Montreal. – Marco D’Amico

I can’t say I’m surprised. After all, the American for-

Actually, no: you can’t play that. Because even if the Blues’ name refuses to die, Dvo is linked to the Canucks by D’Amico, but also by Rick Dhaliwal, who covers the Canucks.

In the current market (thin on centers and with a rising ceiling), the Canucks could give quite a bit of money to Dvorak, who could hit the jackpot in Vancouver.

Dvorak chose to play in London (OHL) in the past. Once again, he could choose Canada.

overtime

– Nice contract.

– Know something, Tony?

– Interesting.

– Corey Perry in Philly?

– He wanted to win in Toronto.

– 14?

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“We can expect at least two additions to the Canadiens’ attack.”

July 2025. This is it.

The salary cap has officially been raised from $88 million to $95.5 million. And a few recent contracts awarded in the last few hours have already been affected. Martin Fehervary, Evan Bouchard, Ivan Provorov and Alexander Romanov will have been eligible for full autonomy the right year!

And to think that the ceiling will continue to rise considerably over the next few years..

My colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois gave us the lowdown this morning on what to expect – or not expect – from the Canadiens today.

I’ll be even more specific, if I may.

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have no choice: they’re going to have to put two to four forwards on NHL contracts – or acquire them via trade – in the next few hours or days.

Kent Hughes will probably have plenty to say at his press conference this afternoon.
(Credit: YouTube)

Why? Because it’s not just in physics where the phrase nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed is valid.

The Habs lost the services of Emil Heineman in the Noah Dobson deal.

Michael Pezzetta should test the free agent market (and sign with Toronto ?).

Christian Dvorak could break the bank (elsewhere) today.

And all indications are that Joel Armia will also test his value on the trade market.

In short, right now, the Canadiens’ forward lineup looks like this:

Caufield – Suzuki – Slafkovsky
Laine – Newhook – Demidov
Roy – Evans – Dach
Gallagher – Kapanen – Anderson
Beck

No, Luke Tuch, Jared Davidson, Florian Xhekaj, Lucas Condotta and Sean Farrell aren’t among the top 13 forwards in the Montreal line-up yet. They’re not ready (and may never be).

We all agree that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton need to replace at least two guys in the projected offensive line-up above. Maybe even three or four, given the uncertainty surrounding Kirby Dach’s health… as well as the uncertainty surrounding Patrik Laine .

In short, Kent Hughes will have no choice but to add forwards to his squad, and sooner rather than later. So you can see why I say we can expect at least two new forwards in the very near future.

The $1,000 question: who’s coming?
Many are dreaming of Jordan Kyrou, but his no-trade clause – which came into effect last night – has dampened their ardor.

David Ettedgui tells us to look to the Kraken.

Mike Matheson could be sacrificed in order to get his hands on a top-six forward.

Anthony Beauvillier’s name refuses to die in Montreal.

Mikael Granlund is too small.

And both Brock Boeser and Nik Ehlers are too expensive for the Habs.

Help wanted in Laval
Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton and John Sedgwick aren’t the only Canadiens on the drawing board. The Rocket will also need help.

Pascal Vincent’s team achieved great things in 2024-25, but lost in the Calder Cup semi-finals. Much like its Montreal big brother, the Rocket lacked the grit and experience to go all the way.

The problem in Laval is that several experienced players have seen their contracts expire in recent days: Alex Barré-Boulet, Xavier Simoneau, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Gustav Lindstrom, Brandon Gignac, Noel Hoefenmayer, Cayden Primeau, Connor Hughes and so on..

We’ll have to replace them, then improve the team if we want to go a long way next spring. Yes, the Rocket is all about developing youngsters, but you’ll still need good veterans – and muscle – to allow your youngsters to blossom as they should.

Many are expecting a quiet day at the Canadiens today; I’m not one of them. On the contrary, I believe that Montreal management will be announcing several acquisitions or signings by the time I go to bed.

He who lives will see, as the saying goes.

overtime

– Mitch Marner (93) and Noah Dobson change numbers.

– Things are hopping in Toronto.

– Big contract coming to Carolina?

– Small contract in Florida.

– Cody Ceci in Los Angeles?