Canadiens Extend Rookie Standout Demidov for 8 Years

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes may not have been expected to be busy on July 1, at least with potentially signing unrestricted free agents. However, he still made a splash by extending rookie Ivan Demidov, who had been slated to become restricted at this time next year. The deal comes in at eight years, $73.2 million ($9.15 million cap hit), which would keep him under contract until 2035, at which point he is projected to become a UFA in his own right.

Ivan Demidov 8 x $9.125M extension in Montreal

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2026

None of this is a huge surprise. Demidov, who had been a runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy after leading all rookies in scoring this past season, has already established himself as a member of the Canadiens’ young core. After debuting late in 2024-25, the fifth-overall pick in 2024 scored a field-leading 62 points (19 goals) last season, his first full NHL campaign.

Demidov Gets Paid (Starting in 2027-28)

In fact, one of the biggest questions facing the Canadiens heading into the offseason had been when a Demidov extension would get done. As Sportsnet’s Eric Engels had explained in a recent piece, it was in Demidov’s best interest to sign an extension before the new Collective Bargaining Agreement comes into effect on Sep. 16, as it would cap signing bonuses at 60% of a given contract’s terms.

In the newly signed deal, which starts in 2027-28, Demidov starts off with signing bonuses of $11.5 million in the first two seasons. The annual figure gradually drops down to $5.8 million in the contract’s penultimate season and then zero in 2034-35, at which point he’ll earn $7.5 million all in base salary, per PuckPedia.

Of note, Demidov is projected to become the team’s highest-paid forward once the new contract starts. Currently, Nick Suzuki holds the title with a $7.875 million cap hit on a contract that runs through until 2030. Defenseman Noah Dobson remains the team’s highest-paid player following his acquisition last summer ($9.5 million).