Lane Hutson Could Follow Auston Matthews' Contract Path, a Worst-Case Scenario for the Canadiens

Quietly, this could be a memorable summer for Hutson, as he could already sign the biggest contract of his life, a massive eight-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens.

That's what we're all hoping for.

However, the possibility I absolutely didn't want to see mentioned has just been brought up by Arpon Basu.

That's the growing buzz right now.

All the details are in their full episode, but essentially, the Auston Matthews model is one that really puts NHL teams at a disadvantage when trying to lock down a star player.

In this case, it affects the Montreal Canadiens, who are trying to sign Lane Hutson.

It's also what a certain Cale Makar did.

In short, if he follows in the footsteps of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Cale Makar, and others, Hutson would not sign this summer. Instead, he would wait until next summer to sign a five- or six-year deal, giving him the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) as soon as possible (just like Mitch Marner).

That way, he could sign an enormous contract in 5 or 6 years, assuming he maintains his current level and development trajectory.

Take Cale Makar as an example.

He signed a six-year deal in July 2021 (worth $9 million per year), meaning he'll be an unrestricted free agent in July 2027, at just 28 years old.

Imagine the value of his next contract!

It will be absolutely mind-blowing, much more than if he had signed an eight-year deal with the Avalanche and only hit free agency at 30 or 31!

This will be something to watch closely. As Félix Forget points out, there is a world where Lane Hutson goes against his agent's advice, like Jake Evans did, and refuses to go after the maximum money possible.

Let's hope Kent Hughes can work his magic once again.

If Lane Hutson ends up being able to become a UFA in 5 or 6 years, that would quite literally be the worst-case scenario for the Montreal Canadiens.