The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn ranked Lane Hutson’s contract No. 1 of the top 10 best value contracts in the NHL, thanks to his eight-year, $8.9 million AAV extension through 2034. After a 66-point rookie season in 2024-25 and 78 points the next year, landing him sixth place in Norris Trophy voting, Hutson has become Montreal’s key puck-mover and playmaking catalyst. Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson ($8.05M AAV) took No. 2 on this list, followed by Tampa’s Brandon Hagel ($6.5M AAV) and Carolina’s Jackson Blake ($5M AAV). These deals offer teams a reasonable salary and flexibility amid rising salary caps.
