It was a long offseason for the Montreal Canadiens and mostly a quiet one. They extended players like Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes fairly shortly after free agency began, but general manager Kent Hughes wasn't able to get much done outside of that.
That all changed over the weekend, as it started a flurry of moves by Montreal, with a total of five new deals for players and coaches. This is a recap of all those moves and what the grades are for each transaction.
*Player contract figures courtesy of Puckpedia
Signing free agent Chris Kreider on a one-year deal
The most surprising move of the offseason was not only Chris Kreider being waived by the Anaheim Ducks but then deciding to sign with the Montreal Canadiens. The two sides have a tumultuous relationship, to say the least, that started over a decade ago when he slid into Carey Price.
Seemingly, both Kreider and Price have moved on, and by the end of the season, fans likely will as well. Even at this stage of his career, Kreider is still an effective Top 6 forward, and for the Canadiens to get him on a one-year deal with an AAV of $2.15 million, it is a bargain no matter how anyone looks at it.
Considering the Canadiens were able to add to their Top 6 and not have to do it in a trade while also leaving enough cap space for other moves, this is easily an A+.
Grade: A+
Re-signing Zachary Bolduc with a four-year deal
One day after signing Chris Kreider, the Canadiens were able to reach an agreement with the first of two restricted free agents unsigned in Zachary Bolduc. One year after trading for him with the St. Louis Blues, the Canadiens signed him to a four-year deal with an AAV of $4.2 million.
After a lackluster regular season but a solid performance in the playoffs, it makes sense for the Canadiens to believe there is more to Bolduc's game. This is a type of contract that the Canadiens are paying up to his ceiling, and if he struggles to get back to the level he was in the playoffs in the upcoming season, it may not be as much of a bargain.
There is certainly risk, but the Canadiens have done a good job getting bargains elsewhere, so they can take these risks.
Grade: B
Signing Martin St. Louis to a contract extension
On Monday, the Montreal Canadiens had their annual golf tournament before training camp, and before anyone hit the course, the team announced a new four-year contract for Martin St. Louis. The new deal is essentially a three-year extension, as he had one more year on his current deal, but that is being replaced by this new contract.
Martin St. Louis has been the perfect head coach for this team as he has been able to lead a team out of the basement of the division and into the playoffs. He has been able to help develop young players like Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson, and this group arguably has the best outlook of any team in the NHL.
The new contract definitely comes with a new level of pressure for Martin St. Louis, as the Montreal Canadiens are no longer just rebuilding but now need to show they are true Stanley Cup contenders.
Grade: A+
Re-signing Arber Xhekaj with a one-year deal
Less than 24 hours before the Montreal Canadiens opened training camp, the team was able to get their last restricted free agent under contract. It was a long process, but the two sides eventually landed on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.
This is a low-risk deal for the Canadiens, as Xhekaj would still be a restricted free agent next summer. It gives them veteran depth with a player who brings physicality that no other player on the roster is able to.
Grade: A
Signing Alex Newhook to a four-year extension
Shortly after Arber Xhekaj's contract was announced, the team announced that Alex Newhook had signed a four-year contract extension with an AAV of $5.5 million. The thinking behind this contract is very similar to Bolduc's in that Newhook was great in the playoffs and received a contract to reflect that production.
However, Newhook's production in the regular season has gone down in each of the three seasons with Montreal after they traded for him from the Colorado Avalanche. In 2023-24, he had 34 points in 55 games, followed by 26 in 82 games during the 2024-25 season, and then 25 in 42 regular-season games this past season.
If Newhook can stay healthy and play at the level he did in the playoffs, then this is a fair deal for both sides, especially with the salary cap expected to continue to go up. However, if Newhook plays as he has in the regular season, this might not look like a great contract down the road.
Grade: B
The good news for the Montreal Canadiens is that they were essentially able to get any loose ends taken care of and can now turn their focus to the regular season right from the start of training camp.
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