Devils GM Addresses Luke Hughes Holdout Risk Before Training Camp

Avoiding a Repeat of Last Year's Holdout Situation

The Devils could be seeking either a max eight-year deal or a shorter bridge contract, while Hughes’ camp is pushing for a five-year term that would align his free agency with brother Jack Hughes, who is signed through 2030, according to NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky.

"For starters, the two sides seemingly want different things," Novozinsky wrote. "Last we heard, the Devils were seeking either a short bridge deal [around three years] or the max eight years, while the Hughes side wants Luke’s deal up to line up with his brother Jack's [Jack becomes a free agent in 2030, so this would mean a five-year extension for Luke]."

Fitzgerald, however, seems determined to reach a deal as soon as possible to avoid a holdout scenario similar to last year, when forward Dawson Mercer missed three days of camp before re-signing to a three-year, $12 million deal.

“At the end of the day, when really the only leverage the player has at this point in their career is holding out, that stinks,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t think anyone wins, quite honestly, when that happens. So [Hughes’ agent] and I are trying hard to get this thing to come to some common ground.”

Luke Hughes’ Impact on the Devils’ Core

The Devils drafted Hughes with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, and he has already developed into a cornerstone of New Jersey’s defense.

The 21-year-old, who will turn 22 on Sept. 9, is coming off notching 44 points, split into seven goals and 37 assists in 71 regular-season games. The year before, Hughes appeared in all 82 regular-season games, scoring 47 points and finishing third in Calder Trophy voting.

Highlights of Hughes' career so far include:

• 44 points last season, leading all Devils' defensemen
• A key role on the Devils’ top pairing from the left side, logging 21:09 minutes per game in 2024-25
• Making the 2024 NHL All-Rookie Team after scoring the second-most points among rookies that season

AFP Analytics projects Hughes to sign one of two possible contract extensions: a short-term one worth $5.75 million per season, or a long-term deal with a cap hit of $8.39 million.

The Devils have $6.1 million in cap space, giving Fitzgerald the flexibility to re-sign Hughes to a new contract before the start of next season without the young blueliner missing time.