It's Cool to See Canadiens Players as Committed as the Fans

The Montreal Canadiens' future has looked increasingly promising over the last few seasons, and that has only grown following the team's Eastern Conference Final appearance this past postseason.

Now, the organization has taken another significant step toward building a long-term contender for the Stanley Cup, as they have signed Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract extension worth $9.1 million annually, beginning with the 2027-28 season.

More importantly than the dollar figure itself, the extension represents something much bigger. General manager Kent Hughes has now locked up a majority of the Canadiens' young core for years to come, giving the franchise a clear foundation to build around during what should be the prime years of these players' careers.

Demidov's new contract already looks like it has the potential to become one of the biggest steals in the NHL over the next few years.

As the salary cap continues to rise, so will players' AAVs, and one example is defenseman Bowen Byram, who recently signed a contract carrying a $12.5 million cap hit with the Chicago Blackhawks, while Pavel Dorofeyev signed an $11 million deal after being traded to the New York Rangers.

In that context, paying Demidov $9.1 million a year could look incredibly team-friendly in only a few years.

The expectation is that Demidov will eventually develop into at least a 100-point player during his prime. Even entering next season, reaching a point-per-game pace doesn't seem unrealistic after a highly impressive rookie campaign that saw him reach the 60-point mark.

What makes those numbers even more encouraging is the context surrounding them.

For much of his rookie season, Demidov was playing alongside Jake Evans as his second-line centre, which, to be fair to Evans, I love him as a player, but he isn't exactly who the team wants in that spot in the long term.

Once top prospect Michael Hage eventually joins the NHL club and potentially becomes Demidov's permanent centre over the coming years, the Canadiens could should be set offensively. If those two can become a dynamic duo, Demidov's contract will become one of the NHL's biggest steals.

The Canadiens' salary structure is equally impressive.

Despite having one of the league's best collections of young talent, no core piece is currently making over $10 million per season.

Captain Nick Suzuki and sniper Cole Caufield are each signed at just $7.8 million annually over the next several seasons. Juraj Slafkovský carries a cap hit of $7.6 million on his long-term extension, while Kaiden Guhle is locked in at just $5.5 million.

Noah Dobson currently has the team's highest cap hit at $9.5 million, although the Canadiens had relatively little negotiating leverage after acquiring him via trade. Even Lane Hutson, who very well may be the best player on this team, has an extension, which was signed last October and begins next season, that comes in at under $9 million annually.

Now, Demidov joins that list at $9.1 million.

From a team-building perspective, this gives Kent Hughes tremendous flexibility for the forseeable future.

Because the Canadiens' stars have chosen to sign long-term contracts at cap hits below what many could likely command on the open market, Montreal remains in an excellent position to continue adding talent around this core, which should keep them competitive for years.

What's perhaps most encouraging isn't simply the contracts themselves, but what they represent.

This group hasn't yet won a Stanley Cup. In truth, they haven't fully accomplished anything in the grand scheme of things.

But despite that, nearly every member of the core has committed long-term because they genuinely appear to believe in the direction of the organization and in each other.

That level of commitment stands out, particularly in today's NHL, as over the last several years, high-profile American players on Canadian teams have become the subject of speculation about eventually wanting to return south of the border. Whether it's Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, or the previous discussions surrounding Matthew Tkachuk before his move, it has become increasingly common.

Instead, Montreal has watched players like Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson fully embrace the city and commit to spending the majority of their careers wearing the Canadiens jersey.

That matters to me as a fan of this team.

Fans naturally want talented players and winning hockey, but they also want players who genuinely want to represent their city and their teams.

Seeing the Habs stars willingly sign long-term contracts for less than they potentially could have earned elsewhere shows how committed they are to this organization.

If Hutson had demanded $10 million annually after establishing himself as one of the league's brightest young defensemen, Kent Hughes likely would have had little choice but to pay it.

Similarly, had Demidov waited another season before negotiating and followed up his rookie year with a point-per-game campaign, it's entirely possible his asking price could have climbed toward $11 million per season. Montreal may have had no realistic alternative but to meet that demand.

Instead, these players have prioritized stability, continuity, and the opportunity to grow together.

That's just so cool to me.

With Suzuki earning $7.8 million, Dobson leading the team at $9.5 million, and Demidov now at $9.1 million, future negotiations become far more manageable. As prospects like Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky eventually arrive (assuming they aren't included in future trades), the precedent has already been established.

The Canadiens now know exactly what the financial backbone of their roster will look like for years to come.

For Canadiens fans, that's an exciting position to be in.

There are, of course, no guarantees. A Stanley Cup cannot simply be projected because a team has assembled an impressive young core.

However, it's difficult to ignore that this group represents the Canadiens' best opportunity in years. Even in the highly competitive Atlantic Division, Montreal appears to have assembled a talented, committed, and financially sustainable core that should keep its championship window open for a long time.

With Ivan Demidov now signed, the Canadiens have officially secured nearly every major piece of their future.

The foundation is in place, and the expectations are rising, but as a Habs fan, it's hard not to be excited about what comes next. Bring on next season.