The Montreal Canadiens have completed a tidy piece of business, as Ivan Demidov signs an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $9.125 million. A steal of a contract, something that General Manager Kent Hughes has done so often. Let us discuss the details.
Forward Ivan Demidov has signed an eight-season, US$73 million contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens.
— CTV News Montreal (@ctvnewsmontreal.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T16:30:25.832Z
Demidov Extension Keeps Him in Montreal For Eight More Seasons
This could be one of the biggest wins of July 1, as Demidov is locked up on a long-term contract with very good value. He was drafted in 2024 at fifth overall by the Habs. He scored 19 goals and 43 assists in 62 games in his first full season with the club last season. He finished second in Calder Memorial Trophy voting behind Matthew Schaefer last season. He is a highly creative player with high hockey IQ and has the makings of being an elite playmaker for years to come.
Demidov joins the likes of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson, among other players signed to team-friendly contracts. It is a testament to how much the players believe in the Habs to take such a discount on their long-term contracts. Demidov’s new contract will kick in during the 2027-28 season, and by the time it ends in 2035, he will have developed further and could still be in his prime. Demidov’s contract has a 10-team no-trade clause in the final three years of his contract. This is nothing short of a home run, slam dunk, you name it, by Kent Hughes.
What It Means
Demidov’s signing marks another fixture of the top-six locked down long-term. The next piece of the puzzle is trying to improve the centre position and getting bigger on the back end. With over $14 million still left to spend this offseason, you just know the Habs will be busy adding more players to bolster their roster. Bon travail, Montreal!
Main photo by: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
