The Montreal Canadiens continued to strengthen their long-term defence on Wednesday, signing defenceman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year contract worth a total of US$33.3 million.
The deal, valid from the 2025-26 season to 2030-31, will pay him an average annual salary of $5.55 million, Habs general manager Kent Hughes said in a press release.
Guhle played 70 games with the bleu-blanc-rouge in 2023-2024, scoring six goals and 16 assists, and serving 56 penalty minutes.
The Edmonton, Alberta native ranked second on the team with 178 blocked shots and third with a 20:51 average (minimum of five games played).
The 22-year-old Guhle played in his 100th NHL game on Feb. 29 against the Panthers in Florida. The six-foot-three, 201-lb. defenceman has amassed 40 points (10-30) in 114 NHL games since his debut in 2022-2023.
Guhle was selected in the first round, 16th overall, by the Bleu-blanc-rouge in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 31, 2024.