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Canadiens Solidify Big 3 With Key Extension

By extending Juraj Slafkovsky long-term, the Montreal Canadiens officially formed a core group of youngsters.

Nick Horwat

Oct 4, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield (22) celebrates with teammates including forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) and forward Nick Suzuki (14) after scoring a goal against the Ottawa Senators during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield (22) celebrates with teammates including forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) and forward Nick Suzuki (14) after scoring a goal against the Ottawa Senators during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

The Montreal Canadiens haven’t come anywhere near the playoffs since their unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. In fact, they haven’t finished a season above last in the Atlantic Division since then.

Despite the recent challenges, the Montreal Canadiens are on the brink of a promising era, led by a newly established 'Big 3'.

On the opening day of free agency, the Canadiens signed young forward Juraj Slafkovsky to an eight-year extension. Still, to play out the final year of his entry-level contract, the former first-overall pick is locked in with the Canadiens until 2033.

At 19, Slafkovsky joins fellow young forwards Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield as core members of the Canadiens organization. Suzuki is the eldest, at 24, and was named captain in 2022.

Suzuki (77 points), Caufield (65 points), and Slafkovsky (50 points) finished first, second, and fourth, respectively, in Canadiens scoring for the 2023-24 season. These are career highs that will only get better as they improve and approach their primes.

What makes this Big 3 even better for the Canadiens because they have all three locked up long-term to under $8 million annually. Suzuki is around until 2030 at $7.875 annually, Caufield until 2031 at $7.85 million, and Slafkovsky’s extension sits at $7.6 million until 2033.

If the Canadiens start to see more success, they’ll have ample cap space to bring in even more firepower, thanks to the affordable deals of their top players.

Having those three locked in should do wonders for the Canadiens, but they might have more solid young players to lock up to expand their core. 22-year-old defenseman Kaiden Guhle is eligible for an extension this summer as the Canadiens also want to lock him up long-term.

It’s been a rocky road for the Canadiens over the past few years, but in time, they should turn out to be a powerhouse in the NHL again.

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Nick Horwat

NICK HORWAT

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