The Montreal Canadiens have stormed through the preseason with four wins in five games. With their forward group firing on all cylinders and Lane Hutson anchoring a revamped blue line, the franchise has given fans plenty of reasons for optimism heading into opening night.
However, while the on-ice success has been impressive, the contract standoff between Hutson and Montreal continues. Despite several defensemen securing major extensions this week, one insider believes those contracts won’t influence what the Canadiens have planned for Hutson.
Insider Believes That Jackson LaCombe’s Latest Deal Won’t Affect the Canadiens
Hutson emerged as one of Montreal’s breakout stars after making his NHL debut last season. The rookie defenseman posted 66 points in 82 games, playing a crucial role in the Canadiens’ return to the playoffs and ultimately capturing the Calder Trophy.
Despite his breakout campaign, Hutson enters the final year of his entry-level contract without an extension. While Luke Hughes recently signed a seven-year, $63 million deal with New Jersey, Anaheim soon followed by locking up Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year, $72 million deal.
Anaheim announced Lacombe’s extension on October 2. While these recent signings have driven up market value for young defensemen, insider Elliotte Friedman believes the deals change nothing for Hutson’s negotiations with Montreal.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Lane Hutson: I don’t think the 8x$9 for Lacombe really hurts Montreal as much as some people think; I would guess…whatever these two sides are talking about, it’s not far from there; on a 8 year…Hutson is 9ish – 32 Thoughts (10/3)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) October 4, 2025
On the latest episode of the “32 Thoughts Podcast,” Friedman told co-host Kyle Bukauskas that Lacombe’s extension won’t affect Hutson’s negotiations. He addressed Montreal fans’ concerns about the deal, explaining why the comparisons don’t apply to their situation.
Friedman continued, “So, one of my theories is that the Canadiens have been trying to keep this kind of under wraps and that they’ve been trying to hammer out this deal and get it done.” Despite the prolonged timeline, Friedman believes Montreal remains committed to finalizing Hutson’s extension.
The insider believes that with Hughes and LaCombe securing these deals, fans have been worried because they think Hutson might receive a value even higher than Dobson.
“I don’t think the 8x$9 for Lacombe really hurts Montreal as much as some people think; I would guess… whatever these two sides are talking about, it’s not far from there; on an 8-year…Hutson is 9ish,” Friedman said. He believes that the two sides are not far from the number.
He further added, “I could see the Canadians trying to come in a little lower. I could see Hudson and his camp trying to come in a little higher.” According to Friedman, Hudson is at the $9 million mark.
“I just think that this is one of those deals where I get the sense that, let’s just say, we’re at the five-yard line,” Friedman said. “And while I think they’re in the same kind of general vicinity, I don’t know if those last five yards are going to be easy.”
The insider believes that while both camps have a general idea of what they want, it will take some time for them to arrive at a number.
