The Canadiens have signed top-four defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year, $33.3M contract extension, per a team release. Guhle will price $5.55M towards the wage cap beginning in 2025-26 and can stay below contract via the 2030-31 season. Renaud Lavoie of TVA has the complete breakdown of the deal:
2025-26: $2M base wage, $5M signing bonus
2026-27: $5.25M base wage
2027-28: $6.55M base wage
2028-29: $5M base wage
2029-30: $5M base wage, modified no-trade clause (five-team no-trade checklist)
2030-31: $4.5M base wage, modified no-trade clause (five-team no-trade checklist)
It’s a hefty second contract for the 22-year-old, who was getting into the ultimate season of his entry-level deal. He’s the second younger Hab to ink a long-term extension this month, becoming a member of 2022 first-overall choose Juraj Slafkovsky, who signed an eight-year, $60.8M deal instantly upon turning into eligible to increase on July 1. This isn’t a max-term extension for Guhle, however it’s lengthy sufficient to stroll him to unrestricted free company upon expiry in 2031, when he’ll be 29.
The deal gives some price certainty for each the Canadiens and Guhle, whom they chose sixteenth total in 2020. After a pair of post-draft seasons in juniors, Guhle jumped to the NHL in 2022, bypassing an project to AHL Laval. Leg and ankle accidents price him almost the entire again half of his rookie season, limiting him to 44 video games total in 2022-23.
However the Edmonton native confirmed he was on observe to shoulder top-four minutes. He averaged 20:31 per recreation, offering respectable offensive contributions with 4 objectives, 14 assists and 18 factors (0.41 PPG) regardless of not seeing vital energy play time. Issues have been a little bit of a wrestle defensively as Guhle posted a -19 score, 43.6 CF% and 40.2 xGF%, however that was to be anticipated for a rookie blue liner thrust into troublesome utilization on a rebuilding staff. He did see utilization on the Habs’ second penalty kill unit, primarily with Mike Matheson, averaging 2:07 per recreation shorthanded.
Final season, Guhle’s level totals took a step again, however his all-around recreation averted a sophomore stoop. His common time on ice elevated by 20 seconds, and maybe most significantly, he averted any main accidents, taking part in in 70 of Montreal’s 82 video games. He completed third amongst Canadiens defensemen in scoring with 22 factors (six objectives, 16 assists). He completed second on the staff in blocks with 178, trailing solely Matheson, his regular protection associate at even power. That’s notable for the lefty, who’s been in a position to look snug on his off facet in top-pairing duties with Matheson. Guhle’s possession metrics improved in 2023-24 throughout the board regardless of seeing an uptick in defensive zone begins.
For the Canadiens, it’s a sizeable long-term funding in a participant who initiatives to be a powerful anchor piece of their prime 4 on protection for years to return. He doesn’t have upside as a real No. 1 at this stage, however he isn’t being paid like one on this extension. $5.55M is a comparable cap hit to what gamers like Brett Pesce and Matt Roy earned on the open market this summer season, each good comparables for Guhle’s ceiling.
Contemplating his prime will come close to the tail finish of this deal when it prices a decrease share of the wage cap, it looks as if a wise selection early on. Turning into a UFA at 29 additionally permits Guhle to land a second huge payday on a max-term extension or elsewhere on the open market.
Guhle will price simply $863K towards the cap this season within the last yr of his ELC.
