Montreal Canadiens sign Ivan Demidov to eight-year contract extension
The Montreal Canadiens have secured the long-term future of winger Ivan Demidov by agreeing an eight-year contract extension worth $9.125m (£7.1m) per season.
The 20-year-old’s agent, Dan Milstein, confirmed the lucrative agreement on Wednesday.
With one year remaining on his entry-level deal, the lucrative new terms will officially commence at the start of the 2027-28 NHL campaign.
Standout rookie campaign
The Russian forward firmly established himself as one of the league’s brightest young talents during his first full North American campaign.
Having initially arrived from the KHL in 2025, the dynamic attacker registered 19 goals and 43 assists across 82 regular-season appearances last year.
His impressive tally of 62 points ensured he finished as the highest-scoring rookie in the division.
Despite his prolific output, the breakout star was narrowly beaten to the Calder Memorial Trophy by New York Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer.
Securing the core
This long-term commitment guarantees that the Canadian franchise has locked down its vital attacking nucleus well into the next decade.
The highly rated youngster joins captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson in being contracted to the organisation through to at least 2030.
Securing these foundational pieces represents a significant statement of intent from the Habs as they look to build a consistent Stanley Cup contender.