The Bell Centre’s spotlights swept across the ice, illuminating the faces of Montreal’s hopefuls—but for Zachary Bolduc, Wednesday night felt like standing in the shadows. In a city where every shift is scrutinized, the Quebec native found himself relegated to the fourth line, his skates barely leaving a mark on the game’s surface. Less than eight minutes of ice time—just 7:54, split over nine fleeting shifts—told a story louder than any goal horn. As the crowd roared for the heroes of the shootout win, Bolduc disappeared into the background, a stark contrast to the promise he once represented.

Bolduc wasn’t alone in his struggle for minutes; Joe Veleno and Jared Davidson also saw their ice time slashed. But for Bolduc, the message was unmistakable—this was a warning shot from Martin St-Louis, a coach who has never shied away from making tough decisions. Just days earlier, St-Louis made it clear: accountability without the puck was non-negotiable, and those who failed to defend would be left watching from the bench. Bolduc’s demotion was more than a tactical adjustment; it was a public lesson in the unforgiving standards of Montreal hockey.

The timing of Bolduc’s benching only added to the intrigue. Hours after the final buzzer, the Canadiens sent another signal by assigning Florian Xhekaj to the Laval Rocket, despite his breakout AHL season—35 points and 24 goals in 69 games. The message to young players was crystal clear: the margin for error in Montreal is razor-thin, and potential means nothing without consistent, responsible play. In the blink of an eye, the dream of NHL stardom can be replaced by a ticket to the minors.

While Bolduc watched the action from the periphery, another rookie seized the spotlight. Oliver Kapanen, brimming with confidence, was the most-used forward against the Jets, logging an impressive 20:07—one second more than Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. Kapanen’s rise has been meteoric; he now leads Canadiens rookies in goals and is quickly building a reputation as a playmaker who elevates those around him, including Ivan Demidov, one of the league’s top rookie scorers. St-Louis’s trust in Kapanen is evident, his willingness to hand over key minutes a testament to the young Finn’s maturity and skill.

For Bolduc, the contrast couldn’t be starker. Just weeks ago, he flirted with a spot on the first line, his name whispered as a future star. Now, he’s fighting for relevance, stuck in a defensive assignment that offers little chance to showcase his scoring touch. The path to the Maurice Richard Trophy—once a tantalizing dream—feels impossibly distant when you’re skating alongside Veleno for seven minutes a night.

Yet, beneath the surface, the drama is only beginning. St-Louis’s message is clear: in Montreal, you play a complete game, or you watch others do it. For Bolduc and the city’s legion of fans, the question hangs in the air—will he rise to the challenge, or become another cautionary tale in the Canadiens’ relentless pursuit of excellence? The answer, as always, lies in the ice time earned, not given.

Photo of Zachary Bolduc

Photo credit: La Presse

For Zachary Bolduc, Wednesday night at the Bell Centre was short.

The Quebec forward found himself on the fourth line, and Martin St-Louis used him very little. Less than eight minutes of ice time – only 7:54 – and nine total shifts.

Along with Joe Veleno and Jared Davidson, he was one of the only forwards under 13 minutes, but Bolduc was clearly the one who paid the highest price.

With him, it seems to be all or nothing. Last night, it was nothing. And that context is even more striking when you remember the message St-Louis recently delivered. The coach reiterated that everyone must be responsible without the puck and that those who don’t know how to defend would remain seated.

Later that night, after the Jets game, the Canadiens sent another message by assigning Florian Xhekaj to the Laval Rocket- even after a 35-point, 24-goal season in 69 AHL games for the 21-year-old forward. For young players like Bolduc, the margin for error is thin

Oliver Kapanen playing with full confidence

At the other extreme, Oliver Kapanen, who won player of the game, was the most-used forward against the Jets. He logged 20:07 – one second more than Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky – in a 3-2 shootout win.

Kapanen now leads Canadiens rookies in goals with eight and already has a very respectable point total. He makes Ivan Demidov produce – Demidov being among the top NHL rookies in scoring this season – while keeping his own stat line strong.

That helps explain why St-Louis trusts him so much in key situations.

Meanwhile, Bolduc, also 22, must settle for scraps, far from the first line he recently occupied. As long as the mandate remains to play defensively and responsibly, another seven-minute game with Veleno certainly won’t bring him closer to the Maurice Richard Trophy, let’s say.

But the message is clear: with the Canadiens, as Florian Xhekaj already experienced, you play the complete game – or you watch others do it.