Star defenceman Lane Hutson and the Canadiens agreed to an eight-year, $70.8-million contract extension on Monday.
The extension, which begins next season, will pay Hutson an average annual salary of $8.85 million.
Hutson, 21, is the reigning Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s top rookie after a historic season in which he had six goals and 60 assists. He became just the fourth defenceman in the NHL’s modern era to lead rookies in scoring, joining Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch and Quinn Hughes.
His 60 assists were tied for the most by a rookie defenceman in NHL history, and no rookie, regardless of position, has had more helpers for the Habs in a single year.
With the move to extend Hutson, the Canadiens have locked up the majority of their core for the long term, with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Noah Dobson and Kaiden Guhle all under contract until at least through the 2029-30 season.
Hutson’s deal was a pressing matter for Montreal, as he was set to become a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.
Hutson was drafted in 2022 by the Canadiens in the second round, 62nd overall, out of the U.S. National Development Team. He went on to play two years of collegiate hockey at Boston University.