With the NHL salary cap rapidly rising, New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes was the first of many young stars to receive a massive payday, and has set the bar for what could be a massive deal for the Canadiens Lane Hutson. Hutson, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, will likely be waiting until July 1 of next summer to start hearing offers from the Candiens due to the increase in the salary cap to $104 million, and is likely to be the reason he is still waiting on signing an extension.
As chatter around Hutson's next deal becomes even more common by the day, anywhere between the range of $8 to $11 million looks more than plausible now after Hughes's deal, and it would be a surprise if he takes a hefty chunk of the cap next summer.
Following his extension, Hughes now becomes one of the highest paid defensemen in the league at $9 million AAV, the same AAV as Cale Makar who is arguably the NHL's best D-man, and now has an even greater salary than the likes of Brock Faber and Jake Sanderson. It is now becoming clear that with how fast the cap is rising, it isn't crazy at all to suggest that Hutson can easily fetch $10 million AAV, and if Montreal is where he wants to be, and where he sees his future, he could be looking at anywhere from a $70-80 million contract.
Sure, Hutson isn't a finished product yet, and a bridge deal could be negotiated with a much lesser salary. But with how important he has become to the Canadiens and how vital he has become as a top pair guy, a powerplay quarterback, and as an elite point scorer, in today's NHL market -- and after the Luke Hughes contract -- the summer of 2026 is going to be a big, big payday for Lane Hutson.
Regardless of the public opinion, Hughes' deal has only helped his cause, and that high double digit AAV is now in his sights, and who knows how high that could get come July 1st of next year.