Insiders Have Latest Intel On Lane Hutson Extension Talks (with AAV Projection)

The Montreal Canadiens know what they have in Rookie of the Year Lane Hutson, and they have every intention of trying of getting the offensive defensman signed to an extension. But insider Frank Seravalli tells us, on his Bleacher Report update, that there's nothing too substantial going on just yet in those talks.

I don't think that there's been a ton of progress there, I think they had some initial talks and they are still looking at that... What do you pay him?... I think the ballpark is right in that Brock Faber range, I could see it coming in around that.

Faber signed an eight-year, $68 million deal with the Minnesota Wild last summer, at an $8.5 million AAV. Faber was still 21 when he signed that deal, the same as Hutson is right now, and like the Montreal sensation, was coming off an impressive rookie season, though not quite to the level of Hutson's. Faber was runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 2024, Hutson did him one better this past year, and took the award. Faber's edge is in ice time, where he averaged 25 minutes TOI in his rookie year, while Hutson was at 22:44 this past season.

But Seravalli continued, wondering if Hutson would rather go a different route in order to take advantage of the soaring salary cap in future seasons.

The question is: Would he rather take a short-term bet with the rising cap and see if he can cash in? Because if he's gonna get paid and it's gonna go long-term, I think it's fair to say that they are gonna do it on the Montréal Canadiens' terms (i.e. at something not too far north of Faber's deal).

From the Habs' standpoint, it's a pretty good bet that they'd love to lock Hutson up for as long as they can, but as Seravalli reiterates, "I just don't know what the Hutson appetite is on that end (for a long-term deal)."

Even with all that said, Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects has now chimed in on Saturday with yet another angle on this that fans should look out for:

For those waiting on a Lane Hutson extension, don’t expect anything to really get going until his camp sees what Luke Hughes signs for.

Even then, both sides have viable reasons for waiting until next offseason.
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) August 23, 2025

"Don’t expect anything to really get going until his camp sees what Luke Hughes signs for," says Robinson, referring to the New Jersey Devils' unsigned RFA d-man.

"Even then, both sides (the Canadiens & Hutson) have viable reasons for waiting until next offseason".

Unlike Hughes, Hutson does have a contract for 2025-26, as he'll be on the final season of his entry-level deal.