Analyst speculates Montreal Canadiens' big gamble on $33.3M Kaiden Guhle extension failing

The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a six-year, $33.3 million contract extension on Wednesday. The deal kicks in starting with the 2025-26 season and carries an annual salary cap hit of $5.55 million (as per ESPN).

While Guhle has shown promise in his brief NHL career (114 games and 40 points), some observers view the contract as a risky gamble by Montreal.

Analyst Stu Grimson commented on the deal during an appearance on NHL Network, speculating that the Canadiens may regret investing so heavily in the young blueliner.

"Big rangy kid, great skater, really solid defensively, good first pass maker, and a guy that, you know, at a very young stage of his career, he's pulling down north of 20 minutes a night for the Montreal Canadiens. Not an easy assignment, you know, given the way this team is structured," Grimson said.

He noted that with just 70 NHL games (last season), Guhle doesn't have a huge sample size of work at the top level on which to base such a lucrative extension.

"Remember, it's a half year for him just north of 40 games in a full year, this year, not a huge sample size to bet big on a guy like this 5.5 million over the course of his entire deal.

"This as an interesting play, you know, and a lot of managers when put to a decision like this, if you get enough of a sample size, where you feel like you've got a real asset here, the gamble is, you know, investing in him long term at a higher dollar," Grimson analyzed.

Grimson speculated that if Guhle fails to live up to expectations in the coming years, his hefty cap hit could become a burden for Montreal as they try to build a contender.

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Fans react to Montreal Canadiens' signing of Kaiden Guhle to $33.3M extension

The Montreal Canadiens' six-year, $33.3 million contract extension of defenseman Kaiden Guhle has elicited mixed reactions from fans on social media.

One fan tweeted:

"In a few years 5.5 mil for Ghule is gonna look great! He’s only 22 and already looks like a real solid defensemen, Canadiens have been doing great business this summer."

One fan noted the deal doesn't kick in until 2025-26.

"Since this doesn't kick in for a year, this means Guhle is locked up until he's 29 (7 more years)."

Here are some more fan reactions:

"Another year to his entry contract wow steallllll" one fan wrote on X.

"Montreal just keep signing awful deals." another fan wrote.

"Perfect, he can take the big defensive minutes and draws, and let Hutson's pair shine in the O-zone." a user wrote.

"Good deal for a good player." another user wrote.

Overall, the extension has ignited debate among Montreal Canadiens fans, reflecting the high stakes involved in long-term contracts.