Ivan Demidov didn't hold back this week, and neither did Lane Hutson. The two young Canadiens sat down and talked about what this team can actually become.
Demidov, 20, made it clear in a quote published Saturday that the conversations have already started between him and Hutson about committing long-term to Montreal.
"We [with Hutson] talked a little bit about that," Demidov said. "We were just saying to each other that it's important to stay here for a long time because the group that we have here is a Cup team."
That's not a polished answer from a media training session. That's a 20-year-old Russian forward telling you exactly what he thinks.
Both players are coming off exceptional rookie seasons. Demidov finished with 62 points in 82 games. Hutson posted 78 points from the blue line, including 66 assists.
The Canadiens now face two of the most important extensions in franchise history
Hutson added 16 points across 19 playoff games. Demidov contributed 9 points in those same 19 games, with 3 goals and 2 power play goals.
The Canadiens ran all the way to the conference finals before Carolina ended their run 4-1. It was a deep, serious playoff run for a team built around players who haven't even hit their prime.
Both are still on entry-level contracts. Hutson at $950,000 annually. Demidov at $940,833.
GM Kent Hughes knows what's coming. These two aren't going to stay cheap for long, and the window to sign them before they understand their full market value is measured in weeks, not months.
Here's the thing about Demidov calling this group a Cup team: he actually has data to back it up.
The Canadiens went 48-24-10 in the regular season, finished with 106 points, and then won two playoff series before the walls closed in.
Hutson's 78 points from defence at age 22 put him in rare company. There aren't many defenders at that age in this league putting up those numbers. Contract negotiations will reflect that.
And Demidov played all 82 regular season games in his NHL debut season. That kind of durability at 20, on top of the offensive production, is the full package.
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Martin St-Louis has built something real. The question is whether Kent Hughes can lock it in before the price of keeping it together becomes the story.
Do you think the Canadiens will sign both Demidov and Hutson to long-term extensions before the start of next season?
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