Welcome back to another edition of NHL Rumours from the crew at Last Word on Hockey. August is inching closer to an end, and teams are gearing up for training camp. While some teams are trying to put to finishing touches on their rosters prior to camp, other teams are focusing on the future. In this rumour segment, we focus on the contract talks between Lane Hutson and the Montreal Canadiens.
All NHL rumours come from their original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours: Update on the Contract Talks Between the Habs and Lane Hutson
Rumour: On Ask an Insider for Bleacher Report, Frank Seravalli mentions that there have been some preliminary talks between the Canadiens and Lane Hutson; however, they haven’t gone too deep into discussions thus far.
Analysis: Seravalli mentions that he figures the ballpark for the contract would be around what the Minnesota Wild and Brock Faber agreed upon, which was an eight-year deal worth $8.5 million per season. Of course, this is all up in the air. Lane Hutson is the reigning Calder Trophy winner and his first season in Montreal was more productive than Faber’s was in Minnesota. Hutson, as mentioned, also has a Calder Trophy to his name, to go along with leading the Canadiens in points during his first Stanley Cup playoff appearance.
What has to play a factor in the negotiations between Hutson and the Canadiens is the fact that they just traded for Noah Dobson and signed him to a eight-year deal worth $9.5 million per season. Hutson has to look at that contract and make himself comparable, especially after the season he just produced for the Canadiens. While he could lock in long-term right now and guarantee himself an excellent contract, he might be better off betting on himself and trying to earn more by putting up an even stronger season in 2025-26.
There is risk involved in the second option. If Hutson were to get hurt and/or have a slight regression, he may leave money on the table. While that certainly seems less likely, you have to think of all possibilities.
Buying into the Canadiens
The other thing Hutson is surely thinking about is his chance of winning. The Canadiens have built one of the best prospect pools in the league, and they are currently working on putting the finishing touches on what looks to be a solid roster. Players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have already bought in and Dobson left money on the table to join the Canadiens. This says a lot about how people feel about the culture in Montreal. Players believe in what Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis are building. Hutson is already a key part of that. Players are already taking a bit less so that the team can build itself into a true contender. Much like what you see the Florida Panthers doing.
While there is no rush to get a deal done, there’s no doubt that Hutson and the Canadiens will come to terms on what is a fair deal for both parties.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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