After 114 games in Montreal, the Canadiens front office has seen enough from defenceman Kaiden Guhle. The team committed to a six-year, $33-million dollar contract with the 21-year-old blueliner on Wednesday morning.

Montreal’s decision to extend Guhle on a long-term deal amidst a very limited track record is part of a longer-term trend we have seen across the league, with front offices more willing than ever before to bet big – and bet early – on promising young defenders.

There is inherent risk in signing players with such limited track records, to say nothing of the volatility we see in player development cycles. But there is considerable payoff if teams can identify significant talent early in their career.

Guhle’s contract may appear a bit expensive on paper, for now. But if Guhle is able to build on promising early-career results, you suddenly have a top-four (or first-pairing) defenceman carrying a cap hit of $5.5-millon per year. That’s a steep discount relative to the market.

What’s alluring about Guhle’s game to Montreal is obvious watching his tape: he looks the part of a modern-era defender, a high-end........

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