The Canadiens have signed top-four defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year, $33.3MM contract extension, per a team release. Guhle will cost $5.55MM against the salary cap starting in 2025-26 and will remain under contract through the 2030-31 season. Renaud Lavoie of TVA has the full breakdown of the deal:
2025-26: $2MM base salary, $5MM signing bonus
2026-27: $5.25MM base salary
2027-28: $6.55MM base salary
2028-29: $5MM base salary
2029-30: $5MM base salary, modified no-trade clause (five-team no-trade list)
2030-31: $4.5MM base salary, modified no-trade clause (five-team no-trade list)
It’s a hefty second contract for the 22-year-old, who was entering the final season of his entry-level deal. He’s the second young Hab to ink a long-term extension this month, joining 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, who signed an eight-year, $60.8MM deal immediately upon becoming eligible to extend on July 1. This isn’t a max-term extension for Guhle, but it is long enough to walk him to unrestricted free agency upon expiry in 2031, when he’ll be 29.
The deal provides some cost certainty for both the Canadiens and Guhle, whom they selected 16th overall in 2020. After a pair of post-draft seasons in juniors, Guhle jumped to the NHL in 2022, bypassing an assignment to AHL Laval. Leg and ankle injuries cost him nearly all of the back half of his rookie season, limiting him to 44 games overall in 2022-23.
But the Edmonton native showed he was on track to shoulder top-four minutes. He averaged 20:31 per game, providing decent offensive contributions with four goals, 14 assists and 18 points (0.41 PPG) despite not seeing significant power play time. Things were a bit of a struggle defensively as Guhle posted a -19 rating, 43.6 CF% and 40.2 xGF%, but that was to be expected for a rookie blue liner thrust into difficult usage on a rebuilding team. He did see usage on the Habs’ second penalty kill unit, primarily with Mike Matheson, averaging 2:07 per game shorthanded.
Last season, Guhle’s point totals took a step back, but his all-around game avoided a sophomore slump. His average time on ice increased by 20 seconds, and perhaps most importantly, he avoided any major injuries, playing in 70 of Montreal’s 82 games. He finished third among Canadiens defensemen in scoring with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists). He finished second on the team in blocks with 178, trailing only Matheson, his usual defense partner at even strength. That’s notable for the lefty, who’s been able to look comfortable on his off side in top-pairing duties with Matheson. Guhle’s possession metrics improved in 2023-24 across the board as well, despite seeing an uptick in defensive zone starts.
For the Canadiens, it’s a sizeable long-term investment in a player who projects to be a strong anchor piece of their top four on defense for years to come. He doesn’t have upside as a true No. 1 at this stage, but he isn’t being paid like one on this extension. $5.55MM is a comparable cap hit to what players like Brett Pesce and Matt Roy earned on the open market this summer, both good comparables for Guhle’s ceiling.
Considering his prime will come near the tail end of this deal when it costs a lower percentage of the salary cap, it seems like a smart choice early on. Becoming a UFA at 29 also permits Guhle to land a second big payday, either on a max-term extension or elsewhere on the open market.
Guhle will cost just $863K against the cap this season in the final year of his ELC.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Now trade Mailloux for Johathon Berggren.
I only said yesterday if he was smart he would take 2/3 year deal around 3-4M per season then cash in max term at 8-9 per season when the cap is higher. The kid plays on the top pair on his off side and has a great all around game. He needs to have a little more offence to be a true #1 and right now the team is using Matheson in that role. If Ghule was counted on to be the #1 offence guy he would clearly top 16 assists. If you couple that with is 6 goals and he can score 8-12 a year with 30-40 assists and great all around play it’s a no brainer. Hutson likely takes that #1 power play time and a lot of O-zone starts so maybe Ghule might not get there scoring wise. If Hutson is the player we all think he will be and Matheson keeps his play up man with Matheson be a great trade piece.
Matheson has 19 goals and 96 points in 130 games sense becoming a hab. His cap hit is 4.875 and is a FA after 25/26 season. If he keeps this play up image what a contender would pay at the deadline for 1.5 season of that production for less the 5M, what if the habs brought his Cap hit down to 3.5?
Agree, great deal for Hughes and Guhle, with the cap going up over the next few seasons, this will look like a 2-3 million dollar contract.
If the GMs start to pay 20 pts per year D-Men 5,5M per year, a lot of GM will be in trouble soon
You really have no idea how the cap world works do you? What rock have you been living under lol
Called it a week ago on the dollar amount. Feels good.
I really like these signings of young players with high upside, they’re aggressive and ambitious moves on both sides. We’re starting to see more of these young players with pedigree/minors/junior success get locked up long term with only a couple hundred NHL games under their belt. It gives you the chance to build a competitive core four (or five! or six!) that doesn’t cost the equivalent of $40 million in 2028.
it’s really hard to project a 22 year old with approximately 100 NHL games for 6 years. But suffice to say he’s expected to be a very capable top 4 D. That being the case $5.5M for the last half of his contract is really team friendly. Hughes struck a good deal.
No one is more delighted to see the Habs dedicate $100,000,000 over the next six years to unproven talent than the other 31 teams. With such moves Mtl is flirting with an 80 point season.
Beware the Bleu Blanc Rouge!!!!