Mitchell Stephens agrees to one-year extension with Montreal Canadiens

After spending the 2022-23 season in the Montreal Canadiens organization, Mitchell Stephens has been brought back for another year.

The contract is a two-way deal with a minimum NHL salary at $775,000 with an AHL salary of $300,000. Stephens will make a guaranteed $385,000 even if he spends the entire season in the AHL.

The contract was reported by CapFriendly and by PuckPedia. The team made the announcement on Monday.

One-year, two-way contract for Mitchell Stephens

The forward registered 41 points in 68 games with the Laval Rocket last season.

NHL.com

Stephens spent the entirety of the season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, despite all of the injuries to the Canadiens leading to recalls for many of his teammates. It was the first time in three seasons that he didn’t get into any NHL games, dressing for a total of 72 from 2019-20 to 2021-22 with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings.

It was a slow start for him in Laval, reminiscent of the early performance for Phil Varone a couple of years prior that ultimately led to an early trade of that season’s veteran producer. At the All-Star break in early February, Stephens had just five goals and 10 assists through 41 games. Over the final 27 games, he scored 15 times, many of those goals late in games, and added 11 asissts, ending the regular season on an eight-game point streak. Unfortunately for him and the team, he was injured in the final game and unable to play in the post-season.

Stephens will be one of several forwards the Canadiens need to get through waivers to assign them to the AHL. Kent Hughes will be hoping people look only at his overall total of 41 points in 68 games played as they evaluate all of the players on the waiver wire ahead of the season’s start.