The Montreal Canadiens have signed Kaiden Guhle to a six-year contract extension, the team announced on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old defenceman, who was entering the final season of his entry-level contract, will earn an average annual salary of US$5.55 million over the course of the deal, which kicks in at the start of the 2025-26 season.
Drafted 16th overall by Montreal in the 2020 NHL Draft, Guhle has played two seasons with the Canadiens, accounting for 10 goals and 30 assists in 114 NHL games. He played in 70 games last season, finishing with a minus-seven rating.
One of the foundational pieces of the Canadiens’ rebuild, Guhle has embraced a leadership role in the team’s young defence.
“I definitely think I’m ready for that challenge to kind of help out the young D coming in now and make it as stress-free and easy for them as possible,” he told The Gazette.
The announcement of Guhle’s extension comes one day after the team agreed to a two-year deal with fellow defenceman Arber Xhekaj. Earlier this summer, the Canadiens signed young forward Juraj Slafkovsky to an eight-year contract extension.