HIGHLIGHTS
- Lane Hutson signed eight-year extension with Canadiens worth $8.85 million annually
- Deal includes substantial signing bonuses and locks up Montreal’s young defensive core
- Read below for details on the contract structure and what it means for the Canadiens’ rebuild
The Montreal Canadiens locked up their young star for the long haul.
Lane Hutson signed an eight-year contract extension Monday worth $70.8 million, carrying an average annual value of $8.85 million. The deal kicks in next season and runs through 2033-34.
The 21-year-old defenseman was scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season but won’t hit the open market anytime soon.
Hutson won the Calder Trophy last season after a historic rookie campaign. He posted 66 points on six goals and 60 assists in 82 games, breaking Chris Chelios’ Canadiens record for most points by a first-year defenseman.
His 60 assists tied Larry Murphy’s NHL rookie record from 1980-81, and he became just the fifth rookie defenseman in NHL history to record 50 helpers in a season.
Montreal secured the deal slightly below recent comparable contracts. Luke Hughes signed with New Jersey for $9 million annually earlier this month, while Jackson LaCombe got the same from Anaheim.
But the AAV doesn’t tell the whole story. The extension is heavily structured with signing bonuses, which protects Hutson financially while giving Montreal cap flexibility. Signing bonuses are paid upfront each July 1st regardless of performance or injuries, making them lockout-proof and buyout-proof.
Hutson gets guaranteed money, and the Canadiens keep the cap hit manageable as the salary cap continues to rise. It mirrors Hutson’s earlier willingness to take less than maximum performance bonuses on his entry-level deal to ease the team’s cap situation.
The deal also completes Montreal’s young core. Hutson joins Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson under contract through at least 2030-31, giving the Canadiens three elite defensemen all signed long-term. That’s $23.9 million committed to three blueliners, but all three are 25 or younger.
Up front, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky are all under contract through 2029-30 or beyond. The oldest player in that top-six group is Suzuki, who just turned 26.
“I had a conversation with Lane over the weekend and he had talked about his view on things,” Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said. “It struck me he wanted to make sure we understood how much he wanted to be here and how hard he was going to work.”
With Hutson’s deal starting in 2026-27, the Canadiens have short-term cap flexibility to chase additional talent before the big contracts kick in.
“Nice to get a good bit of business done,” Hutson said. “For me, it’s back to work and building my game. I think it’s good for both sides. I’m just happy to be here for a long time.”
Through three games this season, Hutson has one assist. He’s posted 69 points in 87 career NHL games and added five assists in five playoff appearances last spring.
The Canadiens host the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday at Bell Centre.
