Devils Sign Hughes: Not Too Little, Maybe Too Late

Luke Hughes signs his contract with the New Jersey Devils, and to be frank, it’s about time. The two sides dragged out something that should have been a top priority and got the deal done before the clock struck midnight.

Instead of a bridge deal or a short-term one, something that looked like a possibility with how far apart Hughes and the Devils were, he’s locked in for the long run. It’s a seven-year deal with a $9 million average annual value (AAV) attached to it. It makes Hughes the highest-paid defenseman on the Devils and one of the highest in the NHL. Yet, this deal still works for all sides involved.

Hughes is a Steep Price, For Now

The market for defensemen this summer was set in the $7 million range. It’s reflective in the K’Andre Miller, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Ivan Provorov deals. Hughes clears that mark at a $9 million AAV. He’s being paid like a top-pair defenseman, even if he’s only shown flashes of one so far.

In 155 games, he’s only scored 17 goals and added 37 assists while finding his footing only last season on the defensive end, with 3.4 defensive point shares. He’s not an elite defenseman, not yet, at least. And that’s the big thing about Hughes. He’s not being paid for what he’s done but for what he will do in the NHL, as a 21-year-old starting to hit his stride.

This contract will age well with that in mind. Hughes will be a great defenseman in a few seasons and will have a high-value contract. With the cap rising, the contract will look better as he enters his prime. Kirill Kaprizov signed a deal with a $17 million AAV this week. There’s no doubt that Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, who can test out free agency in 2027, will demand that deal or more. If the Devils signed Hughes to a bridge deal, they’d have to make things work with higher demands from a player who has earned them. It goes without saying that they save in the long run.

Did The Devils Wait Too Long?

There’s a week until the season begins. Hughes will join the team and have a short preseason to prepare. There’s no doubt the young defenseman was working out on his own and preparing but it’s a different game as he’s now acclimating to the roster.

The Boston Bruins saw firsthand the fallout of waiting until days before the season to sign a key player. They signed Jeremy Swayman days before the season began, and it weighed him down. The goaltender struggled all season, and the Bruins ended up with the worst record in the NHL. The preseason isn’t a time to get into hockey shape anymore (like the 1970s or 1980s). It’s a time to allow players and teams to kick off the ground running.

That said, Hughes is a defenseman, and there isn’t much of an adjustment. He can step into the lineup on day one, ready to pick up where he left off from a season ago. The Devils might struggle to start and lose a few winnable games. However, in the long run, they’ll be one of the best teams in the NHL and possibly in the Cup conversation. Hughes will be a key part of their success.

Fitzgerald Has His Hands Tied; Now He Must Adjust

The Devils, even with the Hughes signing, are a good team that will be in the playoffs. They aren’t a team that can win the Cup. They still need a few key pieces to enter that conversation. The problem is that general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald doesn’t have much to work with (on the contrary, the Devils must clear up cap space).

Fitzgerald also doesn’t have much to work with. The Devils lack cap space, prospects, or draft picks to make a splash. So, there isn’t much to do. Yet, Fitzgerald still must make a move to upgrade this team and put them over the top.

The Devils are in a weird spot as they now must watch and wait. They must see how the season plays out and prepare accordingly. A move will be on the table at some point this season, and Fitzgerald must make that splash. It might mean trading an NHL-caliber player but it’s the price of entering the Cup conversation. Fitzgerald proved he’s willing to spend to win, as the Hughes contract showed; now he must confirm that sentiment.