We have seen Zachary Bolduc start hot with the Montreal Canadiens before. In his debut season with the Canadiens, he gave fans the impression that they had found something special. Bolduc scored in his first three games, then found the back of the net just nine more times over the next 75 games. His first season with the Canadiens was a step back from his rookie year with the St. Louis Blues, but he looked more like that player during Montreal’s playoff run.
Bolduc came into this season in need of a new contract, which was settled right before training camp opened. His new deal, a four-year, $16.80 million contract, raises expectations, and now Bolduc has to prove his opening-night performance can last.
Bolduc found chemistry with new linemates
In his first season with the Canadiens, Bolduc played with a variety of different linemates. He was new to the team, and the coaching staff was searching for a line he would have chemistry with. According to Money Puck, Bolduc played on 14 different line combinations last season, playing the most minutes alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield (176). This season, Bolduc is starting alongside two players he spent just 57 minutes with last season. The trio of Bolduc, Jake Evans, and Josh Anderson were listed as the Canadiens' fourth line in their opening game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They may have been listed as the team’s fourth line, but they were the most impactful trio on the ice.
Bolduc, Evans, and Anderson set the tempo, while it felt like the other lines needed a period to get into the game. They came out with energy, were physical, and generated constant pressure in the offensive zone. Their line sparked the team’s offence, with Anderson tying the game halfway through the first period, before Bolduc gave the Canadiens the lead early in the second. While Bolduc deserves some of the blame for his play last season, Montreal did not do him any favours by constantly changing his linemates. While it was just opening night, the Canadiens' new-look fourth line had instant chemistry, and if they can produce consistent offence, they could be a line that gradually sees more ice time as the season goes along.
20 goals should be the benchmark for Bolduc
When the Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the Blues, the thought was he would help the depth scoring issues that plagued Montreal during the 2024-25 season. He showed that potential in the QMJHL, scoring 105 goals in his final two seasons with the Quebec Remparts. We saw glimpses of that potential in his rookie season with the Blues, scoring 19 goals in 72 games while playing lower in the lineup. In his first season with the Canadiens, a realistic goal would have been for him to hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career, and that should not change this season. 20 goals would put him right around the value of his new contract. The potential for more is there, but Bolduc needs to show progression. Familiarity with his linemates will go a long way over an 84-game season, and their physical, energetic style fits exactly the profile that Bolduc wants to play.
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