Lane Hutson Secures His Future with the Canadiens
Young defenseman Lane Hutson, recent winner of the Calder Trophy, has reached an agreement to extend his contract with the Montreal Canadiens for eight years and $70.8 million, the team announced this Monday.
Negotiations between the American player and the Canadiens extended throughout the summer, intensifying last weekend with the goal of securing Hutson’s signature and thus starting the season on the right foot. The agreement, which has an average annual value of $8.85 million, includes $55 million in signing bonuses, according to sources close to the negotiation.
Hutson, 21, is coming off a historic season with the Canadiens, where he accumulated six goals and 60 assists, setting a record for a rookie defenseman in NHL history. In addition, he became the team’s first rookie of the year since Ken Dryden won the award in 1972.
Hutson joins Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch, and Quinn Hughes as the only defensemen to have led rookies in scoring.
Selected in the second round of the 2022 draft by the Canadiens, Hutson joined the team after two years at Boston University.
Hutson’s new contract aligns with similar agreements signed by young defensemen before the start of the season. Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe signed for eight years and $72 million, while New Jersey’s Luke Hughes agreed to a seven-year, $63 million contract.
