NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canadiens & Oilers Sticker Shock

Today’s roundup contains a bit of everything in our NHL Trade Talk Recap (September 13, 2026). Montreal’s been busy locking things down while Edmonton’s dealing with some sticker shock. The Habs added Kreider and extended Bolduc in a day, while in Edmonton, everyone’s just now finding out how big a bet Babcock’s contract really is.

Kreider’s Montreal Deal Is a Steal — And Fans Might Want to Let Go of the Grudge

Chris Kreider joining the Canadiens is a genuinely smart, low-risk move for Montreal. He’s coming on a cheap, incentive-heavy one-year deal that costs almost nothing unless he actually stays healthy and produces. The Habs didn’t give up any assets to get him, and they’re adding a proven 22-goal scorer with real playoff pedigree to a young team that already made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final last season.

The harder part for some fans is the history. Kreider is remembered for the collision with Carey Price that helped end Montreal’s Cup hopes back in 2014. Not everyone’s ready to move past that. But there are real relationships pulling this deal together, from president Jeff Gorton to coach Martin St. Louis to longtime trainer Jim Ramsay, all guys who know Kreider well and clearly wanted him there. Even Price himself reportedly holds no grudge. At 35 and still chasing his first Stanley Cup, Kreider picked Montreal on a short, low-commitment deal. That says a lot about how motivated he actually is to make this work.

The Kreider Signing in Montreal Reveals 3 Very Important Truths

The Canadiens Just Locked Up Another Piece — And Kent Hughes Isn’t Slowing Down

Fresh off signing Chris Kreider, Montreal wasted no time getting another deal done. They locked up Zachary Bolduc to a four-year extension after a summer-long standoff. The 23-year-old winger had a bit of an up-and-down first season in Montreal following his trade from St. Louis. He put up just 12 goals in the regular season, but he really turned it on in the playoffs with seven points in 19 games. The Habs clearly see him as part of their long-term core alongside Suzuki, Caufield, and Demidov.

What’s really impressive is the timing and the cap management behind it. This all came together just hours after the Kreider signing, and insiders had already reported Hughes was working hard to make sure Kreider wasn’t the only move coming. Turns out that was right on the money. Even after locking up Bolduc, Montreal still has real cap flexibility. They can keep making moves before the season starts, which says a lot about how well Hughes has managed this roster all summer.

Canadiens Sign Zachary Bolduc to 4-Year Contract Extension

Turns Out Babcock’s Deal Was Way Bigger Than Anyone Realized

For months, nobody actually knew how long Babcock’s contract with Edmonton was. That turns out to be intentional. Teams have gotten smarter about hiding coaching term length to avoid speculation. According to insider Pierre LeBrun, the real answer is a three-year deal plus an option year. It’s a massive commitment for a guy who’s been controversial enough to get run out of Detroit, Toronto, and Columbus without ever really finishing what he started.

What makes it even wilder is that the Oilers are now paying for basically three head coaches at once. Babcock’s new deal, Kris Knoblauch’s contract they had to eat after firing him, and D.J. Smith making head-coach-level money just as an associate. That’s a lot of money and a long term for a coach most other teams wouldn’t touch. It really says two things at once. First, how badly Edmonton wanted him. Second, how much leverage Babcock actually had walking in, since it was basically him or nobody.

Revealed Details of Babcock’s New Deal With the Oilers Are Raising Eyebrows

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