Devils & RFA Luke Hughes At An Impasse in Contract Talks

Luke Hughes celebrates a goal at the New Jersey Devils bench

The latest news on the Luke Hughes contract talks with the New Jersey Devils is not particularly promising. According to a new report, the two sides are at an impasse, stuck on term of any new deal for the restricted free agent.

Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com writes that the situation is getting "tricky."

For starters, the two sides seemingly want different things. Last we heard, the Devils were seeking either a short bridge deal (around three years) or the max eight years, while the Hughes side wants Luke’s deal up to line up with his brother Jack‘s (Jack becomes a free agent in 2030, so this would mean a five-year extension for Luke).

Jack, two years older than Luke, is going into Year 4 of an eight-year, $64 million deal ($8M AAV) that expires in 2030. Jack will be 29 entering his potential unrestricted free agency.

Luke, in looking for a five-year contract, would also see his deal run through the 2029-30 season, when he'll be just 27.

AFP Analytics pegs his value on a six-year deal at an $8.3M cap hit, or a short-term three-year contract at $5.7M per season.

The Devils only have $6.1 million in cap space available at this point, which probably explains why they're looking at a shorter-term deal. If they do go the full eight-year route, the cap hit will soar past their available cap room, and another move will have to be made to clear the space before Opening Night in October. There's even been talk of Dougie Hamilton being dangled on the trade market.

But having Jack & Luke with deals that expire in 2030 could throw a wrench into the Devils' undoubted future pursuit of the most important Hughes brother of all: Quinn.

Currently with the Vancouver Canucks, there is plenty of buzz that the recent Norris Trophy winner Quinn wants to play with his brothers one day. But with his contract up in 2027, that complicates any potential acquisition by the Devils, as he'll be looking for a new long-term deal that year that would take him well past the 2029-30 season. It just doesn't match up with his younger brothers' contract situations.

The Devils and Luke Hughes have about three weeks to figure this all out, if the young defenseman is to have a new contract in place in time for training camp.

The 21-year-old d-man registered seven goals and 37 assists for 44 points in 71 games last season.