Luke Hughes' Extension Set Clear Bar for Canadiens’ Lane Hutson, Experts Claim

RG's Marco D’Amico said Hughes’ $9 million average annual value (AAV) will inevitably be brought up by Hutson’s camp when talks intensify.

“Luke Hughes has now set the market for defensemen coming out of their ELC with his 7-year, $9M deal,” D’Amico said. “Lane Hutson's camp will bring this to the Montreal Canadiens, with good reason.

“Though the Canadiens aren't in as dire a situation as the Devils were. Leverage is key.”

D'Amico, appearing on TSN Radio on Wednesday, added that the Hughes contract places a clear marker for negotiations.

“I certainly think that $9 million is now the bar for Lane Hutson that Luke Hughes set,” D'Amico said. “But with Lane Hutson’s offensive numbers potentially going to explode even further this year, maybe he’s going to be pushing up on $10 when his contract time comes around.”

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic also called Hughes’ deal “a fresh comparable” that cannot be ignored.

“As soon as they saw seven-times-nine (seven years, $9 million AAV) for Luke Hughes in New Jersey, that led to the next conversation in Montreal,” LeBrun said.

LeBrun explained that the Canadiens have already been “aggressive” in their approach but have yet to secure an extension.

In the same piece, fellow The Athletic analyst Arpon Basu pointed out that timing may matter as much as comparables. Basu believes Hughes’ deal will provide useful context, but warned Hutson’s case is complicated by a shifting financial landscape and the rising cap.

“There are more factors impacting the Hutson negotiation than money,” Basu wrote, pointing to cap structure and team culture as factors Montreal must weigh.

The Canadiens have time before Hutson becomes a restricted free agent in 2026, but Wednesday’s signing in New Jersey seems to have set a new floor for the young blueliner.