The Montreal Canadiens have unfinished business with one of their young forwards.
And a contract signed elsewhere in the NHL could add another wrinkle to the negotiations.
Zachary Bolduc is a restricted free agent after Montreal submitted a qualifying offer to the 23-year-old in June.
The winger is coming off a 30-point season and has already fashioned considerably larger NHL notoriety than one player who just landed a long-term deal.
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Ville Koivunen to an eight-year, $32 million extension on Aug. 6, carrying a $4 million annual cap hit.
A day later, Karine Hains of The Hockey News raised the thought regarding whether that deal could become a framework for Montreal and Bolduc.
Hains ultimately viewed an eight-year agreement as unlikely for Montreal, but the comparison could still give Bolduc’s camp another number to point toward while the sides work toward a deal.
$32 Million Koivunen Deal Gives Bolduc New Benchmark
GettyPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 11: Ville Koivunen #41 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Martin Fehérváry #42 of the Washington Capitals in the first period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Koivunen’s extension stood out because of how little NHL experience he has accumulated.
NHL.com reported that the 23-year-old recorded seven points in 39 games for Pittsburgh last season. He owns two goals and 14 points across 47 career NHL games.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas acknowledged the element of projection involved in the contract, describing the deal as a bet on Koivunen’s future prowess and the organization’s belief in his development.
Bolduc has provided Montreal with a more recognized body of NHL work.
The Canadiens’ June 29 announcement of their qualifying offers noted that Bolduc finished his first season in Montreal with 12 goals and 18 assists in 78 games. He added three goals and four assists in 19 playoff games as the Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference Final.
Across three NHL seasons, Bolduc has 75 points in 175 games.
Hains noted that his 0.43 points-per-game rate is higher than Koivunen’s 0.33 mark and wrote that Bolduc is likely seeking a cap hit above the $4 million Koivunen received.
That doesn’t automatically make an eight-year, $32 million contract the bottom for Montreal.
It does, however, give Bolduc’s side a fresh long-term comparable involving a player of the same age with substantially less NHL work.
Canadiens Have Favored Bridge Deals With Young RFAs
GettyRALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 21: Seth Jarvis #24 of the Carolina Hurricanes checks Zachary Bolduc #76 of the Montréal Canadiens in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Lenovo at Lenovo Center on May 21, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The bigger consideration is whether general manager Kent Hughes wants to make that type of commitment yet.
Hains pointed to Montreal’s previous approach with Dach and Newhook, who received four-year contracts while the Canadiens continued to evaluate where they fit in the long-term picture.
She contrasted those deals with the eight-year extensions Montreal gave Hutson and Demidov after convincing rookie seasons.
Bolduc falls somewhere between those situations.
He entered Montreal with expectations after scoring 19 goals and 36 points in 72 games for St. Louis in 2024-25.
His goal production dipped to 12 last season, but he remained in the lineup for 78 regular-season games and contributed during the Canadiens’ extended playoff run.
Montreal clearly saw enough to retain his rights. The club included Bolduc among eight players who received qualifying offers on June 29, keeping control of the former No. 17 overall pick while negotiations continued.
A shorter agreement would give Bolduc another opportunity to increase his value before returning to the negotiating table. It would also limit Montreal’s risk if his trajectory stalls.
The tradeoff is becoming definite after Pittsburgh’s decision.
If Koivunen can command $4 million annually over eight years with 14 career NHL points, Bolduc has a statistical avenue to seek more.
Montreal has to decide whether it wants to pay for that upside today or risk Bolduc becoming more expensive after another productive season.
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