Zachary Bolduc was one of the Montreal Canadiens' major offseason additions, acquiring the Quebec-born right-winger from the St. Louis Blues for defenceman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc’s first season in Montreal was not exactly smooth sailing. After a hot start to the season, Bolduc’s production became nearly nonexistent, but as the season progressed, his play improved, and that was seen during the Canadiens' playoff run. Bolduc’s entry-level contract, which he signed as a member of the Blues, has now come to an end, meaning he will need a new deal this offseason. How Bolduc finished the year almost certainly guarantees that he will be back with the team next season, but for how long and how much could be an interesting discussion.
High highs but low lows for Bolduc
Bolduc’s career as a Canadiens player could not have started any better. He scored in three consecutive games to start the season, but he could not sustain that level of production. Bolduc has been streaky during his career so far. As a rookie with the Blues, Bolduc started slow, but finished off the season on fire, scoring 11 goals and adding five assists in his final 22 games. He finished his rookie season one goal shy of hitting the 20-goal mark, and the way he started this season with the Canadiens, many believed that would have been a realistic goal. He scored just one goal over the next 18 games following that hot start, and could really never break out of that funk during the regular season.
Bolduc was brought in to help with the Canadiens' secondary scoring, while also being a player with the potential to grow into a legit 20 to 30-goal-per-season type of player. The potential is there, as we saw in QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts when he recorded back-to-back 50-goal seasons, but at the NHL level, he has struggled with consistency. Bolduc would chip in with a goal every now and again, but the time between each goal would get longer and longer. At one point this season, Bolduc went 31 games without recording a goal. He saw some time as a healthy scratch this season, but when the playoffs came around, Bolduc’s game found a new level.
Bolduc brings a physical element to the game, second on the Canadiens in hits (170), that tends to be favourable during the playoffs. In Montreal’s opening round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky struggled, it was Bolduc and his linemates who helped pick up the slack. Bolduc, Kirby Dach, and Alexandre Texier were major reasons why the Canadiens managed to upset the Lightning in round one. As the playoffs went on, Bolduc’s impact was not as noticeable, but his four goals and three assists through 19 games showcased that he could be an important piece of the puzzle for the Canadiens in the future.
Bridge or long-term deal for Bolduc?
The Canadiens have prioritized signing their young players to long-term deals, which, in the long run, if the players continue to progress, will look like bargain deals, but Bolduc’s case is a little different. With Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson, we saw long stretches or multiple seasons of consistent production, but Bolduc has only been in Montreal for one season and is coming off a year where his numbers took a step back. Bolduc’s goal and point totals declined despite playing in more games this season. On the other hand, Bolduc provides the Canadiens with something the team lacks: physicality.
There is no doubt that the potential is there for Bolduc to become a legitimate and reliable goalscorer for the Canadiens. However, we have yet to see that consistently. Between him signing a long-term or a bridge deal, the latter is the more likely outcome. More than likely, it will be a two-year deal. As for the dollar amount, if the Canadiens could sign him for between $2.5-$3.5 million, he would fall right in line with what third-line players would make, while also having the potential to outplay his deal. Bolduc possesses all the skills to be an effective NHL power forward, and once he figures out how to deliver consistently, he could be a very important piece for the Canadiens future success.
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