Canadiens' Future Secured
Ivan Demidov Inks 8-Year, $73M Extension with Canadiens, Solidifying Young Core
Key Points
Demidov was the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and spent the 2024-25 season with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL before joining the Canadiens.
The eight-year extension is worth $73.2 million with an AAV of $9.125 million, starting in the 2027-28 season and ending with the 2034-35 season.
The contract includes a 10-team no-trade clause for the final three seasons of the deal.
In the playoffs this past season, Demidov totaled 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists) over 19 games as Montreal advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.
A significant portion of the deal includes $57.6 million in signing bonus money.
Ivan Demidov has signed an eight-year, $73.2 million contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens, locking in the 20-year-old Russian winger through the 2034-35 season, Global News reported. The deal carries an average annual value of $9.125 million and begins in the 2027-28 season, when his entry-level contract expires.
Demidov led all NHL rookies with 62 points this past season and finished second in Calder Trophy voting. He then added 9 points in 19 playoff games as Montreal reached the Eastern Conference Final, its deepest run since 2021. "Montreal has become my home faster than I ever imagined," Demidov said at a press conference on July 1.
A Historic Deal Locks In Montreal's Rising Star
The extension makes Demidov the highest-paid forward in Canadiens history, surpassing captain Nick Suzuki's $7.875 million AAV. The deal is heavily front-loaded, with $57.6 million of the $73.2 million total coming as signing bonus money, Airdrie City View reported. That structure gives Demidov strong financial protection — signing bonuses are paid out regardless of lockouts or buyouts.
The contract also includes a 10-team no-trade clause for the final three seasons, running from 2032-33 through 2034-35, according to City News Montreal. General Manager Kent Hughes called it a deliberate strategy. "Locking Ivan in now ensures we can build around this core with confidence as the cap rises," Hughes said.
Timing Was Everything — Signed Before Rules Tightened
The Canadiens moved fast for a key reason. After September 15, NHL rules limit new extensions to a maximum of seven years. By signing before that deadline, Montreal locked Demidov in for eight years — one full extra season of cost certainty, Global News noted.
The NHL salary cap is also expected to climb past $100 million by 2028. At $9.125 million AAV, Demidov's deal could look like a bargain within just a few years. Demidov was selected fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and spent his first pro season with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL before joining Montreal.
Montreal's Young Core Is Now Locked In Together
The extension slots Demidov into a group of young stars all under contract through at least 2030. The Canadiens' top-paid players by AAV now read: Noah Dobson at $9.5 million, Demidov at $9.125 million, Lane Hutson at $8.85 million, Nick Suzuki at $7.875 million, Cole Caufield at $7.85 million, and Juraj Slafkovsky at $7.6 million, according to Global News.
That group gives Montreal one of the most stable cap situations in the NHL. The strategy mirrors what the New Jersey Devils did with Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes — sign your core young and cheap before a big breakout season pushes the price into the $11–12 million range. Hughes and Demidov announced the deal at the Brossard training facility on Canada Day.
Risks Remain Despite the Fanfare Around the Deal
Not everyone sees the deal as a slam dunk. Some analysts point out that Demidov has played just one full NHL season. If his production dips or injuries hit, a $9-plus million cap hit for nearly a decade could become a problem. The Canadiens recently traded veteran Brendan Gallagher to free up cap space — a sign of the tough choices big contracts eventually force.
Still, the mood around the signing was overwhelmingly positive, Global News reported. Montreal's move also came on a busy free-agent day — the Winnipeg Jets added goaltender Stuart Skinner and the Vancouver Canucks reunited with defenseman Luke Schenn — but Demidov's deal was the headline of the day across the hockey world.
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