If hockey fans thought the day before the NHL regular-season opening would be boring, they need to think again.
Negotiations between 21-year-old defenseman Lane Hutson and the Montreal Canadiens are reportedly close in terms of dollars, with an eight-year deal around $9 million AAV looming on the table. The latest report comes on Monday, and after two recent contract negotiations and resulting signings, could factor into determining Hutson’s next deal with Montreal.
Defenseman Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils was signed on October 1, 2025, to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million. The following day, the Anaheim Ducks signed blueliner Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year extension with the same AAV.
NHL Salary Cap Landscape Put to the Test for Latest Lane Hutson Deal
As such, the structure of Hutson’s impending deal (RCA, deferred money, and other details) has remained a talking point. Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported that the league’s situation surrounding salaries is frequently adjusting.
“The NHL salary landscape is changing fast. Hearing Lane Hutson was willing to take an 8 year deal slightly less than Noah Dobson’s $9.5 million AAV but it didn’t get done on the Canadiens end,” Kaplan said on her X account. That was before the market reset with Luke Hughes and Jackson LaCombe deals last week.”
The NHL salary landscape is changing fast. Hearing Lane Hutson was willing to take an 8 year deal slightly less than Noah Dobson’s $9.5 million AAV but it didn’t get done on the Canadiens end. That was before the market reset with Luke Hughes and Jackson LaCombe deals last week.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) October 6, 2025
Hutson is in the final season of his entry-level contract. The Michigan native is coming off a strong NHL debut, winning the 2024-25 Calder Memorial Trophy. Throughout the 2024-25 season, he tallied 66 points in 82 games.
Similar to Hughes’s previous situation, Hutson will lack arbitration rights if he is still unsigned by the end of this season. He’ll also be ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival club. However, his leverage could be staying away from training camp next September if he’s without a contract by then.
NHL insider David Pagnotta also reported his findings on the ever-changing salary cap, specifically regarding the Edmonton Oilers.
“With McDavid ($12.5MAAV) and Walman’s ($7M AAV) extensions, the Oilers have slightly over approximately $81.286M in $$ dedicated to next season’s salary cap, which is projected to hit $104M (though many expect that figure to climb),” Pagnotta posted on X.
With McDavid ($12.5MAAV) and Walman’s ($7M AAV) extensions, the Oilers have slightly over approximately $81.286M in $$ dedicated to next season’s salary cap, which is projected to hit $104M (though many expect that figure to climb).
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) October 6, 2025
McDavid signed a two-year, $25 million deal on Monday afternoon for the Edmonton Oilers, with the latest extension kicking off at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
Other NHL insiders have noted the negotiation talks between Hutson and Montreal have become a bit emotional, and it appears the two sides have stepped back from the negotiating table to let things cool off as they try to work past their roadblock.
