NHL rumor: Lane Hutson "affected" by public Canadiens contract negotiations, forcing further talks to be "out of the public eye"

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is in the final year of his three-year entry contract. He will become a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.

Hutson has been eligible to sign an extension since July, but no deal has been finalized yet. According to reports, the talks began in earnest over the summer but have been put on timeout lately.

Both sides remain optimistic about a long-term resolution. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Lane Hutson is affected by the public nature of his contract negotiations with the Canadiens, prompting further talks to be conducted privately.

Speaking on Hockey Night in Canada, Friedman said:

"The Montreal Canadiens and Lane Hutson's representatives have said, "We are taking this out of the public eye." It's Montreal, so any bit of news is noise. I think there is concern about how much this has affected Hutson. He's a young man in the NHL trying to make his way, and nobody thinks this is good for him."

He added:

"People who have watched him say he has been affected by the fact this has been so much in the public. So they're taking it out of the public eye right now. Are they still talking? I believe they are. I believe they are trying to see if they can find a solution here. But right now, the key is to take it out of the daily news so that he can focus on playing."

Currently, Noah Dobson is the highest-paid defenseman on the Canadiens roster, having signed an eight-year, $76 million extension in June. According to rumors, Lane Hutson could become the highest-paid defenseman on the roster, surpassing Dobson's $9.5 million AAV.

Lane Hutson opting hands-off approach amid stalled extension negotiations

Hutson is trying to maintain his focus on the ice, adopting a hands-off approach to his ongoing contract negotiations with the Montreal Canadiens. Despite reported disagreements over the deal, he remains optimistic.

“I try to stay pretty hands off,” Hutson said last week via The Athletic. “Of course I want to be here, who wouldn’t? So it’s all about just working out some kinks. My agents have a job to do, and so does management here."

Lane Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season. The 21-year-old has accumulated one point in three games this campaign. Meanwhile, the Canadiens take on the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.