The Canadiens aren't done yet.
The Montreal Canadiens boosted their offense on Saturday, as they signed forward Chris Kreider to a one-year contract.
This has the potential to be an excellent move for the Canadiens, as Kreider showed last season that he can still provide solid offensive production.
While the Canadiens have signed Kreider to this new deal, they still have two more important moves to make before the start of the season. This is because they need to re-sign both Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj, who remain restricted free agents.
Bolduc and Xhekaj are two solid parts of the Canadiens' roster, so they should be working hard to get them signed to new deals. This is especially so with the start of training camp almost here.
Bolduc is coming off a decent first season with the Canadiens in 2025-26, as he recorded 12 goals, 30 points, 170 hits in 78 games. Yet, with the former first-round pick still being only 23 years old and just three seasons into his NHL career, it is clear that he has the potential to take his game to another level.
As for Xhekaj, he posted one goal, four points, 116 penalty minutes, and 178 hits in 65 games for Montreal in 2025-26. While he does not offer a ton of offense from the point, his toughness and hard-nosed style of play make him a good player to have around. Due to this, the Canadiens should look to sign him to a short-term deal as soon as possible.
