“If Lane Hutson signs for eight years this summer, it would be more like $9M a year.”
Ever since Lane Hutson won the Calder Trophy this week, the subject of his contract has once again become the talk of the town. Just about everyone expects him to sign a huge contract, but no one can agree on when it will happen, and more importantly, what his annual salary will be.
The idea of him earning $12 million a year has been raised… and even as high as $12.5 million.
That said, these amounts don’t necessarily make immediate sense. At $12.5 million a year, Hutson would be the 4th-highest-paid player in the entire NHL… and as good as he’s been this season, he doesn’t yet have what it takes to get that kind of money, regardless of whether or not the cap goes up.
He’s not the one who’s going to reset the market: Cale Makar will do that within the next two years.
And Alexandre Gascon, who was on Tellement hockey yesterday, agreed: he doesn’t really see Hutson going for such a big contract if he signs long-term this summer:
If Lane Hutson signs for eight years this summer, it would be more like $9 million a year. – Alexandre Gascon
Such an amount would make Hutson the player with the second-biggest contract in the Canadiens’ history, just behind a certain Carey Price. Price got $10.5 million a year back in the day, and if Hutson signs for “within $9 million”, he’ll have a smaller contract than Price.
And to my mind, it makes a lot more sense if we’re talking about a contract for Hutson this summer. If we take the example of Makar, for example, he got $9 million a year on his second contract… and he had just finished second in the Norris Trophy voting.
It might take a little more than that to sign Hutson long-term this summer… but not necessarily much more.
And that’s why Hutson might be better off waiting another year before signing his contract. By waiting until the summer of 2026, he can give himself even more ammunition with another big campaign… and possibly wait for Makar to reset the market to negotiate his own pact.
The Avalanche will probably want to deal Makar, who becomes a free agent on July 1, 2027, as early as the summer of 2026. The club clearly doesn’t want another Mikko Rantanen situation, and traded Rantanen with a view to paying the most recent Norris Trophy winner.
That said, if Hutson wants to ensure financial security this summer, it’s possible he’ll decide to settle without necessarily wanting to wait. But if that happens, don’t be surprised if his annual salary stays in the seven figures.
Overtime
– Nothing less.
“Probably. Just the way the games have gone… there are some superstars on both sides of the puck. It’s fun to be a part of.”
Corey Perry on whether this is the best #StanleyCup Final he’s been a part of pic.twitter.com/sb0MCEToiZ
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 14, 2025
– George Russell will start on pole tomorrow in Montreal.
GEORGE RUSSELL STORMS TO POLE IN MONTREAL!!!
What. A. Lap! #F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/0EpN9PsebG
– Formula 1 (@F1) June 14, 2025
– She’s amazing.
Caitlin Clark is having a blast in her return to action and the Fever inflicts a first defeat on the Liberty this season!
Full details: https: //t.co/8uLqyE3AhO pic.twitter.com/9XhZ8oJOIP
– RDS (@RDSca) June 14, 2025
