Xavier Ouellet signs a two-year extension with the Montreal Canadiens

After signing Victor Mete to a contract extension earlier in the day, the Montreal Canadiens signed his defensive partner from the post-season, Xavier Ouellet, to a two-year, two-way deal.

The two provided the team with quality minutes in the playoffs, and were more reliable than the third pairings on the two teams they faced, giving Montreal a slight edge in those matchups. That made both worth keeping around, and the players were likely content to get a bit of financial security during an uncertain time.

Ouellet’s contract carries an average annual value of $725,000, just above the league minimum for the 2020-21 campaign. It makes him a more affordable option than many players who could have been targeted in free agency. He will make $425,000 in the American Hockey League, where he was captain of the Laval Rocket.

With the two defencemen now locked up, the only restricted free agent remaining on Montreal’s books is Charles Hudon.