The signing pulled off by Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens is still generating plenty of buzz. Yes, we’re once again talking about Lane Hutson’s contract.
According to The Athletic, the Canadiens defenseman may have left more than $100 million on the table. You read that right.
The analysis comes from Dom Luszczyszyn’s model, which evaluated the contract efficiency of every team in the league. It’s an exercise in which the Canadiens stand out. Kent Hughes’ salary structure is often praised around the league, and for good reason. It gives the general manager valuable flexibility in a market where prices continue to climb sharply.
The Canadiens don’t sit at the very top of the rankings, though. The Carolina Hurricanes hold first place, ahead of Montreal in second for contract efficiency. There’s some irony in that. Carolina was Montreal’s opponent in the third round in 2026. Two well-run clubs meeting near the top.
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The Canadiens still earned an A+ grade. The model gives them an average positive value of 59% and an impressive surplus value of $240 million.
In simple terms, the model estimates that Canadiens players are providing $240 million more in value than the total cost of their contracts. That’s incredible. And Hutson is lifting the club’s overall rating almost by himself.
According to Luszczyszyn’s estimates, the defenseman should be earning $22.5 million per season based on his true value. That’s where the $100 million figure starts to make sense. In terms of value, according to this model, Lane Hutson may have sacrificed more than $100 million by signing when he did.
Wow. The context helps explain it. He signed his contract before salaries surged, and he wasn’t immediately eligible for unrestricted free agency. That helped the Canadiens.
The model still points to two less efficient contracts. Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault are the only players for whom Montreal isn’t really getting full value. There’s nothing alarming about that. The club has breathing room, the veterans remain useful, and both are nearing the end of their contracts.
What an incredible signing by Kent Hughes, much like the deal involving young Ivan Demidov as well.
The real question remains: how far can this advantage carry Montreal?