The question of a Lane Hutson extension isn’t an if, but a when for the Montreal Canadiens. Signing the 2025 Calder-winning rookie of the year is inevitable. Where the two parties land in terms of a deal might be farther than either realize, however. Elliotte Friedman mentioned two interesting tidbits regarding a Hutson extension on the “32 Thoughts Podcast” on August 3rd.
“Canadiens fans are wondering about a Lane Hutson extension,” Friedman said. “The market is getting reset. I don’t see problems getting these guys signed but I do see the sweet spot being a challenge.”
“I’m sure initially the Canadiens wanted him to be under [Nick] Suzuki,” Friedman continued. But if Hutson’s gonna sign for term, it’s probably gonna be up closer to [Noah] Dobson.”
Hutson is entering the last year of his entry-level contract. Last season, he had an impressive rookie campaign, scoring six goals and 60 assists for 66 points in 82 games with the Canadiens. Noah Dobson, who Friedman used as a contract comparison, has seven years left on his contract making $9.5M per season.
Cap Space A Current Problem for Canadiens
The most immediate threat to a Hutson extension, however, lies within the Canadiens’ salary cap. According to Puckpedia, the Habs are currently $5.931M above the salary cap. This is, of course, doesn’t take into account Carey Price’s retirement, which adds $10.5M of cap space against that number.
But flexibility will be one of the biggest issues for the Canadiens entering the 2026-27 season. The Habs have five restricted free agents they will need to either re-sign or release. These names include Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno, Arber Xhekaj, Zac Bolduc and Hutson. While Veleno and Xhekaj won’t command high salaries, Dach, Bolduc and Hutson have the potential to create a real headache for general manager Kent Hughes.
Salary Flexibility First Priority for Canadiens
Fortunately, there appears to be a clear path to flexibility for the Canadiens. Patrik Laine’s deal comes off the books after 2025-26, freeing up $8.7M in salary. Should he choose to re-sign in Montreal, he’ll command a much cheaper salary. Additionally, Mike Matheson’s $4.875M should free up some extra wiggle room for Hughes.
With that said, other analysts believe that finding an ideal number with Hutson’s camp will be an uphill battle.
“The Canadiens are going to say, ‘(Hutson) is not too far down the road. We’re going to get this deal done because we want to give Lane eight years—we want to keep him as long as we can, and we want him to know how much we appreciate him’,” McGuire said on the “The Sick Podcast” last week. “We’re going to negotiate a deal for him before his entry-level (deal) expires. That says a lot to a young player.”
“The trade (in negotiations between Hutson and the franchise) is going to be, the agent is going to say, ‘Well, then he’s got to be your highest-paid defenseman.”
Noah Dobson is the team’s highest-paid player and defenseman. While the Canadiens want to secure his deal as soon as possible, Hutson may view it in his best interest to build momentum upon last season. Should he surpass expectations, he can command a bigger number with more term from the Canadiens.
As of right now, all signs point to Hutson starting the season without a contract extension.
Canadiens Have Challenge with Calder Winner’s Contract