Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Lane Hutson
The Montreal Canadiens announced the signing of defenseman Lane Hutson to an eight-year, $70.8 million contract extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite weeks of speculation, it didn’t take long for the Canadiens to reach an agreement with Hutson. Starting in 2026-27, the 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy winner will earn an average annual value of $8.85 million.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (NHL Images).
That’s below the $9 million and $10 million recently bandied about by several pundits. It’s also below the $9 million AAV that Luke Hughes agreed to with the New Jersey Devils, and Jackson LaCombe will start receiving next season with the Anaheim Ducks.
Hughes and LaCombe were predicted to set the market for Hutson, but Canadiens management convinced Hutson to accept a slightly lower AAV.
It can be argued that the circumstances behind the Hughes and LaCombe signings were different than those facing Hutson. The Devils were desperate to get Hughes signed after contract discussions dragged through training camp and preseason. Meanwhile, the Ducks wanted to avoid facing possible salary arbitration with LaCombe next summer.
However, Hutson would’ve faced the same situation as Hughes next year, when he was to become an RFA lacking arbitration rights and ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival club. He could’ve played the waiting game through next summer and sought a higher AAV than Hughes and LaCombe, especially if his performance exceeded that of his rookie year.
As with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky before him, Hutson bought into management’s long-term vision, accepting less than market value on a long-term contract. It’s another indication of the culture the Canadiens are trying to build, one that could lead to a Stanley Cup in the near future.
Another masterclass by Kent Hughes. Hutson believes in his plan just like the others. GHG!!
If he could be effective playing defense as he is at offense this ought to be a decent signing. Lots of time left to learn being so young and grow stronger which he will need going forward.
What you see is what you get, Ron. He’s never going to be a physical player. He was – 2 last season when the Habs leaked goals for much of the season so I don’t see the defensive side being an issue.
RM,this Montreal group reminds me of Boston after overachieving and winning the cup in 2011. Chiarelli signed all their young players in their early 20 s to big lengthy contracts. Bergeron,Krecji,Lucic,Marchand to name a few. And even though they went to 2 other finals and lost they ended up winning one cup.It s hard to be a cup contender every year and when you give up 6-8 contracts in a way your married to them for life.
I wonder what the Florida has a tax advantage crowd has to say about this one?
They would say he could of signed in Florida for 7.5 and still taken home the same money.
I read that with his contract heavily built on bonuses there are tax breaks because he resides in Michigan.
Brilliant work by Hughes and good on Hutson for not being greedy, but I would have loved to be in the room to hear Hughes’ explanation as to why Dobson was worth more money.
Hughes’s answer is simple:
Hutson: 5 RFA years (including some without arbitration rights) + 3 UFA years
Dobson: 1 RFA year + 7 UFA years.
UFA years are worth more.
Someone asked me earlier in the Summer if I thought Ottawa would g et back into the playoffs this season … and at the time, while acknowledging that, while it could go both ways – the Atlantic being likely THE toughest Division of the 4 – I thought they had the ingredients to do it again.
Now I see definite signs that this collection – as cohesive “teams” go – is seriously lacking (again) in the crucial 5-on-5 department, and that will be their undoing.
In short, I don’t think think they have a snowball’s chance in Hell of repeating as a playoff team. Tkachuk is turning out to be “brittle” – aside from Sanderson there is little to no consistent offensive support from the back end, and not even a capacity crowd in their home opener could galvanize the offense sufficient to beat one of THE most dysfunctional teams from last season.
It’s going to be a long, painful thing to watch.
Easy, George. I wouldn’t call Tkachuk brittle, albeit that he was just injured by a slash.
And three games in is a little early to crape hang, as I heard a wise poster once say.
oops! That should be crepe – LOL!
Hehe … I get what you’re saying LJ … it’s just that, in 3 games, there is absolutely no indication that they are going to be much different than last year’s team that finished right near the bottom in terms of scoring 5-on-5, And in a division like the Atlantic that can be a recipe for disaster.
There are just too many competitive teams where a glaring weakness like that can bury a team early in a hole by late November that becomes too deep to escape in terms of teams they must pass in order to reach at least a WC slot. And that process includes teams in the Metro.
GeorgeO, it s a little early to throw your team under the bus. Although your glowing remarks about your Sens seem a thing of the past! An old coach of mine once said your never as good as you think you are or as bad, your usually somewhere in between!
George is quick on the old panic button.
Spence looks like a good player. Ullmark takes about 10 games to get warmed up.
the issues:
Perron…et all…taking stupid penalties because they’re slow. The PK wouldn’t be at talking point if you weren’t taking penalties.
Ullmark. Ya. The season has started. Lets go.
Timmy. Ya See Ullmark’s issue.
They’ll beat bad teams, and lose to good ones.
On another note. This weekend couldn’t have gone worse sports wise. I was surprised with Sunday Jays tickets (incredible event lots of fun) annd they lost…and then lost again.
The Sens lost.
Ohh…and I had the Bills in my survivor pool.
siiighhhhhhh