Lane Hutson Secures His Future with the Canadiens: Million-Dollar Extension
The talented defenseman Lane Hutson, winner of the Calder Trophy, has reached an agreement with the Montreal Canadiens for an eight-year contract extension worth $70.8 million. The official announcement was made this Monday, marking the end of extensive negotiations between the player and the team. Conversations intensified over the weekend, with the goal of securing Hutson’s signature before the start of the season. The agreement, which has an average annual value of $8.85 million, includes a signing bonus of $55 million. Hutson, 21, is coming off a historic season with the Canadiens, where he accumulated six goals and 60 assists, setting a record as the rookie defenseman with the most assists in NHL history. In addition, he became Montreal’s first rookie of the year since Ken Dryden won the award in 1972. Hutson joins a select list of defensemen who led rookies in scoring, alongside figures like Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch, and Quinn Hughes. Selected by the Canadiens in the second round of the 2022 draft, Hutson joined the team after two years at Boston University.Hutson’s new contract aligns with deals signed by other prominent young defensemen before the season. Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe signed an eight-year, $72 million contract, while New Jersey’s Luke Hughes agreed to a seven-year, $63 million contract.
