The Montreal Canadiens and their fans are still getting over the disappointment of being eliminated in five games by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals, though everyone is now starting to turn the page toward what’s to come.
This was only the start for a budding young core that is all locked up and set to contend for years to come. There is, however, one key piece that’s going to need a new contract in the near future, and that’s Ivan Demidov. That being said, there should be absolutely no concern about a long-term deal getting done, which GM Kent Hughes emphasized on Monday.
“There’s no doubt we see Ivan Demidov as a core player on the team. I’m going to have discussions with his agent (Dan Milstein) in the next week I imagine. I believe Ivan loves Montreal and loves to play for the Canadiens. I’m waiting to hear ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ We’re going to find a way to sign a contract. You never know if a player likes a long-term or short-term deal but ideally we will sign him to a long-term contract
Demidov then reaffirmed his desire to remain in Montreal:
“I like this city, I like this team, I like all (my teammates) and our management…I wanna stay here,”
The 20-year-old is about to be a pending RFA entering the third and final year of the three-year, $2,822,499 entry-level contract he signed with the Canadiens in 2025. He recorded 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in his first full NHL season.
While Demidov won’t be particularly happy with his playoff production, the dynamic winger looked just that even when the points weren’t falling, and let’s remember he had only 84 games of NHL experience entering this postseason.
The Canadiens should absolutely want to lock him in for the long haul sooner than later, because he very well could explode in 2026-27 and see his value on a new contract skyrocket in the process.
Next: Myles Garrett Trade Talk Heating Up: 3 Teams Interested
