Kaiden Guhle and Juraj Slafkovsky
It feels like we're cheating by adding these two players to the list, meaning we're grouping them as the long-term extension guys still on their entry-level deals. Slafkovsky's $7.6 million annual deal and Guhle's $5.5 million will kick in during the 2025-26 seasons.
If Slafkovsky continues to grow as a scoring forward, he will be among the most valuable players in the league. Slafkovsky tallied 50 points last season, which should increase with a full season alongside Suzuki and Caufield. The 2024-25 season could set up Slafkovsky's extension as one of the best value deals next season if he turns into a superstar.
Guhle's ascent to be one of the top defensemen on the Canadiens will have one more year of value. Once Guhle's extension kicks in, it'll be time for him to contribute his worth. The deal looks valuable a year before it starts and will improve as the years progress.