Vancouver Is Now the Number Montreal Has to Beat

The Bolduc negotiation has a new reference point. A comparable deal has emerged out of Vancouver, and now the question sitting in front of the Canadiens front office is a simple one: are they willing to match it? That's where this thing stands as training camp approaches.

It's the third time in as many weeks I've had to note a new wrinkle in this situation. First it was the unsigned status dragging into September. Then Minten's extension landed and gave both sides a data point neither fully wanted. Now there's a Vancouver comp in the mix, which tends to clarify negotiations in one direction or another — either Montreal gets comfortable with the number or the gap becomes harder to paper over.

Bolduc finished last season with 19 points in 50 games at the bottom of the top-10 in team scoring, a minus-9, and limited ice time. That's not a profile that commands a premium, but it's also a young player the organization has reasons to retain rather than lose for nothing. The leverage isn't dramatic on either side, which is usually when these things either get done quietly or drag past the point of comfort. Camp is close enough now that quietly is running out of time.