Excerpt from The Fourth Period:

The Canadiens have every intention of signing Koivu to a new extension, likely worth around what he’s making this year, but it’s been Gainey’s had a tendency of waiting until the end of the season before negotiating with his players.

Koivu’s teammates Alex Kovalev and Mike Komisarek are also in the final year of their respective contracts.

Kovalev, a potential unrestricted free agent like Koivu, has already expressed his desire to stay in Montreal, while Komisarek, who can become a restricted free agent next summer, expects to get a new deal ironed out when the time comes.