Blackhawks confirm a major win for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens after key signings
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Here is another example of Kent Hughes’ ability as an NHL general manager.
A simple comparison once again shows Hughes’ feel for managing contracts, especially with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov.
Lane Hutson will earn $8.85 million per season over 8 years, while Ivan Demidov will make $9.15 million annually, also on an 8-year deal.
Combined, the two Montreal Canadiens players will carry an $18 million cap hit per season starting in 2027-28.
By comparison, Bowen Byram will earn $12.5 million per season over 6 years, while Connor Bedard will make $15 million over 5 years with the Chicago Blackhawks.
That duo will account for $27.5 million per season, which is $9.5 million more than Hutson and Demidov combined, for comparable production on the ice.
That’s pretty incredible.
Here is the full comparison:
Kent Hughes’ contract management gives the Canadiens a $9.5 million roster-building advantage
The gap highlights two very different team-building philosophies in today’s NHL.
On one side, Chicago is spending big on its young stars right away.
On the other, Montreal has managed to keep its core at a much more reasonable cost, leaving room for other major additions down the road.
That $9.5 million difference could give Kent Hughes the flexibility he needs to add another impact piece to the top six.
Once again, the Canadiens general manager’s contract management stands out as a clear advantage when compared with what other teams around the NHL are doing.
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Blackhawks confirm a major win for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens after key signings
Is Kent Hughes’ contract management the best in the NHL?