The Montreal Canadiens are 2-1 early in a 2025-26 season stuffed with expectations. After finally making the playoffs last yr, they made a large offseason trade for Noah Dobson, improving their blue line. Nevertheless, his monstrous contract extension raised quite a few questions on their Calder Trophy-winning defenseman. The Canadiens answered those questions, signing Lane Hutson to an eight-year contract extension value $8.85 million per yr, per TSN’s Chris Johnston.
“Lane Hutson signs an eight-year extension with the [Habs] carrying an $8.85M AAV,” Johnston reported.
Hutson stays on his rookie contract through the 2025-26 season. The $8.85 million payday clicks in for the 2026-27 season and carries Hutson through his age-30 season. They now have two defensive cornerstones under contract for the foreseeable future, with Dobson on an eight-year deal value $9.5 million.
The Canadiens have agreed to terms on an eight-year contract extension (2026-27 to 2033-34) with defenseman Lane Hutson.
News release ↓ #GoHabsGo https://t.co/QlsTMalOwd
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 13, 2025
The Canadiens drafted Hutson within the second round of the 2022 draft before a superb college profession at Boston University. After an incredible 60-assist season at just 20 years old, he won the Calder Trophy because the Rookie of the 12 months. That made him probably the most helpful assets within the league, making this extension vital.
Hutson gave the Canadiens a steep discount on a long-term deal for the remaining of his 20s. He could have signed a short-term deal at the same AAV and cashed in on a dearer deal in a number of years. But now, they’ll construct a solid team around two offensively-minded defenseman and a young core of forwards.
The Canadiens made the playoffs but lost to the Washington Capitals in the primary round. They now have expectations to make it again with an improved roster. Hutson signing this deal puts all the attention on the ice and takes away any probability of him being in trade rumors moving forward. While they’ve an extended method to go before the postseason, things are looking up in Montreal.