One of the Canadiens’ possible defense targets is off the board, and the way it happened only makes Lane Hutson’s deal look better.
Pavel Mintyukov has agreed to a contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks, taking Montreal out of the mix for the young defenseman. The Canadiens were among the teams interested, but Mintyukov is staying in California after Anaheim locked him up on a five-year deal through the 2030-31 NHL season.
That’s a hefty commitment for a 22-year-old blueliner who still hasn’t established much of an NHL résumé. And for Montreal, the price tag is the real story.
The Ducks paid up in a big way, which only sharpens the contrast with what Kent Hughes already got done on Hutson. The comparison is hard to miss.
“7.4 mill for a kid who's never lived up to the first half of his rookie season yet.
Hutson's contract hasn't even kicked in yet and it's already a steal. This is hilarious.”
There’s a reason that line lands. Hutson just finished a 78-point season with 66 assists and a plus-36 rating. Mintyukov, by comparison, put up 22 points in 73 games.
That kind of production gap makes the parallel between the two contracts stand out even more, especially with both players set to be tied to similar money over the next several years.
For Montreal, it’s another sign that the Hutson extension was a major win. As the defenseman market keeps climbing, that bargain looks better by the day.
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Kirby Dach is still unsigned too, but Bolduc and Xhekaj are in a different spot because there is no hard signing clock pushing either side into a quick deal. They are not the kind of restricted free agents who scream offer-sheet risk, which helps explain the patience, but the bigger question is whether Montreals pursuit of a top-six forward on the trade market changes the math and forces the club to settle its remaining business sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
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