Cale Makar just set a new bar in the NHL, and for the Montreal Canadiens, that number should land as a warning sign as much as a headline.
Makar became the first player in league history to sign a contract carrying an average annual value above $20 million. It is an eye-popping figure, but it also gives Montreal a clear glimpse of where the market can go for elite defensemen. That matters because Lane Hutson is already on a deal that runs the next eight seasons at $8.85 million AAV - less than half of Makar’s number.
The comparison is obvious, even if the situations are not. Makar and Hutson are tied to roughly the same contract window, but they are at very different stages of their careers.
Makar is 27 and has already built a full superstar résumé: seven NHL seasons, the Calder Trophy, two Norris Trophies, the Conn Smythe Trophy and one Stanley Cup. With unrestricted free agency looming after this season, he had major leverage, and he used it.
Hutson’s case looks different, but the Canadiens can already see the outline of the problem they may face later. He has won the Calder Trophy too, and he has already cleared 65 points in his first two full seasons.
Makar needed four seasons to get past that mark, though his first two were shortened. The early production is there, and if Hutson keeps climbing, his next deal could be a monster.
That is why Montreal’s decision to lock him in long term now looks so important. At the time, it was not guaranteed Hutson would keep trending upward.
The Canadiens had one season to make their call, and there was real risk in betting on continued growth. But both sides got something out of the deal: Hutson secured long-term stability, while Montreal kept some cap room open, at least as long as he keeps improving.
The other difference is leverage. Makar had it because he was on the doorstep of unrestricted free agency. Hutson did not, since he would have been a restricted free agent at the end of his contract.
That gap will matter again down the line. Hutson will be 30 when his current deal expires and heading into unrestricted free agency, though the two sides can begin talking about a new contract when he is 29. That is only about a year older than Makar is now.
If Hutson keeps developing the way he has and the salary cap keeps rising as expected, Montreal may need to brace for a number that could reach $25 million AAV. That is the reality the Makar contract puts on the table.
The Canadiens have worked to create cap flexibility by getting ahead of the market with their younger players, and they cannot afford to waste that advantage. But Makar’s deal is a reminder that today’s bargain can become tomorrow’s shocker if a player keeps ascending.
In Other News...
Canadiens Fans Should Watch One Thing In The Dylan Larkin Buzz
The Dylan Larkin chatter has a way of following the Canadiens around whenever analysts start sketching out big-picture trade fits, and Montreal is an easy place for that kind of speculation to land. The appeal is obvious enough from the outside: a player of Larkins caliber would instantly reshape the conversation in Montreal, while the Canadiens could present the kind of long-term destination some insiders believe would make sense if a deal ever became realistic.
But the real thing to watch is less about the rumor itself and more about who actually controls it. Larkin has a no-trade clause, which gives him the final say on any move, and the reporting around him has suggested he is looking for a Stanley Cup contender. Until that part of the equation changes, the buzz remains exactly that, with no confirmed trade and no official word to push the story beyond speculation. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Still Have Room To Make A Move Fans Want To See
The Vancouver Canucks are still sitting on nearly $18 million in salary cap space, which keeps them in the middle of the summer conversation even after the big-ticket action around the league has slowed down. With that kind of flexibility, they have room to chase the kind of name fans would recognize, and the list of possibilities has already included Patrik Laine, Eeli Tolvanen and Vladimir Tarasenko.
For Montreal, the ripple effect is part of the intrigue, because any move the Canucks make could shape the market around players the Canadiens are monitoring too. There has also been some speculation about Dylan Larkin as a possible fit in Montreal, though nothing concrete has materialized and the cap math only adds another layer to the uncertainty. For now, the talking points are louder than the transactions, and the real question is whether Vancouver decides to use that space before the opportunity slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Face One Big Montembeault Question This Summer
Sam Montembeaults future remains one of the lingering goalie stories of the summer for the Canadiens, even as the rest of the league sorts through its own unresolved business. Vancouver is trying to get Elias Pettersson back to the level that made him one of the NHLs most dangerous scorers, while Ottawa is moving toward naming a new captain after Brady Tkachuks departure, but in Montreal the focus is still on what happens in net and whether the club ultimately reshapes its crease before the season gets underway.
The timing matters because the goalie market may not really start moving until Connor Hellebuycks situation is settled, and that could set off the kind of ripple effect that opens doors for teams looking to make changes. Montreal is expected to move Montembeault, but the path there may depend on how quickly that broader carousel turns, leaving the Canadiens in a holding pattern as training camp draws closer and their options remain tied to decisions made elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]