The Montreal Canadiens and Lane Hutson agreed to a new eight-year contract extension after weeks of speculation. There was a thought that it could get done this weekend, but neither party were saying much one way or the other. They were being coy, as there was a lot of misinformation out there. But finally, Hutson decided it was time to put pen to paper.
NHL News: Lane Hutson Extends with the Montreal Canadiens
There was considerable speculation that things escalated on Friday and Saturday nights. However, meeting with the media on Monday after practice, ahead of the home opener on Tuesday night, Lane Hutson stated that the deal was done before the Canadiens played the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.
As TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun stated with Gino Reda on That’s Hockey, it was Hutson who orchestrated the deal with Montreal, understanding that winning and building a competitive team is the objective.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Gino Reda: “With insider Pierre LeBrun. Pierre, just days after it looked like the two sides were going to take a step back, take a breather, take the negotiations out of the media spotlight, because things were getting a little bit tense, the Habs and Hutson’s camp got together, and they made it happen. How did it come together, Pierre?”
Pierre LeBrun: “Well, listen, I think a lot of the credit goes to the player himself, Lane Hutson, as that was described to me after this deal got announced. I mean, he wanted this done, and he was a major influence in the two sides getting to a deal here.
But certainly you’re right. I mean, listen, just over two weeks ago, the Canadiens made an eight-year offer to Hutson’s camp. It was rejected at the time. It was a deal that was in and around $72 million in cash, but it had some deferred money attached to it, which would bring the AAV down. Either way, it was rejected. And that led to a bit of a period Gino that, I would say, where the temperature rose in this negotiation.
NHL Rumors: Are Lane Hutson and the Montreal Canadiens Inching Closer To a Deal?
But again, credit the player here, who, I think, did not want this to be a distraction to his team throughout the year and have this wait until next summer. His influence in getting this done was huge. And obviously, credit the Habs because Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton stuck to their guns. They weren’t going to be influenced by other contracts that were out there to the degree of paying something they felt was not part of their cap culture.
They’ve got a lot of core guys signed long-term now to decent numbers. They want to be competitive long term, and Lane Hutson absolutely bought into what Habs management was selling there, as far as wanting to help the team, be as competitive as possible long-term.”
Again, it is the culture that GM Kent Hughes and Vice President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton have built that is the reason why players are taking less than market value, as winning is the ultimate goal. The Montreal Canadiens are well-positioned for a bright future, with their core all locked up beyond the 2030-31 season.
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