Luke Hughes Contract Standoff Is a Warning the Maple Leafs Can't Ignore
Photo credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
According to New Jersey Devils beat writer Ryan Novozinsky, the team is looking to lock-up Luke Hughes and the Maple Leafs need to make sure they follow suit.
The Hughes trio of brothers have taken the NHL by storm since coming in, led by the eldest Quinn; who currently captains the Vancouver Canucks and is one of the best defensemen in the league.
He's going to need a new deal soon, and he could end up joining his brothers in New Jersey at the end of it all. But for Jack and Luke, they look set to do damage together for the foreseeable future.
Devils Looking To Lock Up Luke Hughes To Keep Brotherly Pair Together
But while Jack is signed for a few more years, Luke is an RFA and needing a new deal, and the team is figuring out how to best navigate things.
According to New Jersey Devils beat writer Ryan Novozinsky, the team is trying to ensure that both Hughes are locked up until the same time, and a long-term extension may be out of the question:
Last we heard, the Devils were seeking either a shorter bridge deal (around three years) or the max eight years; Hughes side wants to line Luke's deal up with his brother Jack, who becomes a free agent in 2030.
If the team signs him to a four-year pact, that would extend him until his brother's contract is over, at that point they can figure out what would be the best course of action, though if both players become too expensive for the Devils (especially if Quinn comes in) they may need to make a choice.
What the Hughes Situation Teaches About Managing Young Stars
Which should serve as a warning for other teams but especially the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are going to have to decide what to do with a couple RFA's of their own in Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson.
If Maccelli finds his groove in Toronto, he could end up becoming an expensive player, especially if they extend him for a few more years up until his prime, and could command $7-8M per season if things go well enough.
For Robertson, who is already getting paid a lot more than maybe he should, if he breaks out then the team has to decide whether to sell on his hype or hope it wasn't a flash in the pan and they actually get some consistent production out of him.
If both players are able to get off to a hot start and keep it going for a couple seasons, there's a true shot that Toronto needs to spend $15-million combined to keep them.
That means if the team wanted to make a splash in 2026, they are going to be committing a lot of money to a premium free agent, with an aging defensive core, and the potential to lose two future game-changers.
Brad Treliving will need this season to give him a clue as to what to do next, because it's anyone's guess at this point.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 31 | 1158 ANSWERS Luke Hughes Contract Standoff Is a Warning the Maple Leafs Can't Ignore Should Toronto extend Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli, Both or Neither? | ||
| Nick Robertson | 96 | 8.3 % |
| Matias Maccelli | 414 | 35.8 % |
| Both | 306 | 26.4 % |
| Neither | 342 | 29.5 % |
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