New Jersey Devils Should Be Watching the Montreal Canadiens’ Contract Stalemate
The New Jersey Devils appear to be nearing the end of their offseason work with training camp just around the corner. Still, an intriguing opportunity could emerge if the Montreal Canadiens and one of their young forwards fail to reach a contract agreement.
New Jersey has already made plenty of changes this summer. The Devils upgraded their bottom six by adding Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist in the Jacob Markstrom trade before signing Anthony Mantha. Sunny Mehta also made significant changes to the front office and worked with Sheldon Keefe to reshape the coaching staff.
The Devils also made one of their biggest moves by trading Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames. Many expected the former No. 2 overall pick to headline a blockbuster deal for a top-line winger to play alongside Jack Hughes or perhaps be part of a package for Quinn Hughes.
Instead, New Jersey received two first-round picks, a second-rounder, and defensive prospect Etienne Morin. The Devils later turned that second-round selection into additional draft capital, selecting Matias Vanhanen in the second round and Lavr Gashilov in the fourth.
The expectation was that New Jersey would eventually use those assets to make another major move. That opportunity never materialized. Jordan Kyrou was sent to the Washington Capitals, Jason Robertson remained with the Dallas Stars after re-signing, Quinn Hughes stayed in Minnesota, and Shane Wright was never traded.
Mantha should help strengthen the Devils’ top six after scoring 33 goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, but there is still an opening that needs to be addressed.
At the moment, Arseny Gritsyuk, Connor Brown, or Dawson Mercer appears most likely to claim that final top-six spot. However, the Devils could still find another option on the trade market before opening night.
One team worth monitoring is the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal has assembled an impressive group of young stars, with most of them locked into long-term contracts. That strategy can be difficult to maintain, though, because one complicated negotiation can create a domino effect.
Zachary Bolduc could be that player. Bolduc recently made it clear that he would like to remain in Montreal, while also acknowledging that the situation ultimately depends on the Canadiens’ management.
The former first-round pick has yet to fully establish himself in Montreal, but his potential remains intriguing. He was acquired in a trade centered around Logan Mailloux as the Canadiens looked to improve their forward group. With Montreal’s strong drafting and development of young forwards, however, Bolduc is no longer a necessity. Instead, he represents an opportunity for the Canadiens if he can eventually reach the potential he showed earlier in his career.
That could make him an interesting trade target for New Jersey if the two sides cannot agree on a contract.
The Devils have future salary-cap flexibility and could afford to take a chance on Bolduc. More importantly, they have a potential top-six opening that Montreal may not be able to provide him.
Bolduc obviously would not immediately solve New Jersey’s need in the same way a player such as Kyrou or Robertson could. However, if he develops as hoped, he could become a long-term solution in the Devils’ top six.
New Jersey also has the assets to make another trade and could potentially move a forward in the process. Dawson Mercer, for example, appears to be settling into more of a third-line role, but he could benefit from a larger opportunity to play top-six minutes. That type of opportunity could potentially be available in Montreal.
A trade involving the two forwards could make sense for both organizations. For the Devils, it would provide another potential top-six option while clearing up some of their forward logjam. For the Canadiens, it could give them a player who fits their needs while avoiding a difficult contract situation.
It may not be the blockbuster move Devils fans were expecting this offseason, but Bolduc is a player New Jersey should keep an eye on if his contract negotiations with Montreal continue to stall.
Leave a Reply