The New Jersey Devils and defender Luke Hughes remain silent in contract negotiations, whereby the 21-year-old is reportedly insisting on a five-year-old deal that the team is reluctant to accept.
As reported by James Murphy from rg.orgThe Hughes camp is determined for the five -year period, which would coordinate the expiry of his next contract with that of his brother, Jack Hughes, whose eight years extension runs until 2030. That timing could give the Hughes brothers the opportunity to test a free free desk.
It is understandable that the Devils do not want to place themselves in a situation in which the two brothers can use their power or make a joint decision.
For the Devils, a five -year -old deal represents the least attractive scenario. The organization prefers a short “bridge” deal of approximately three years or a long-term obligation of eight years, so that their young blue-liner is locked, far beyond its excellent development years.
Team General Manager Tom Fitzgerald spoke about the conversations between the team and the defender and says that he remains sure that an agreement will be reached before the training camp will be opened on 17 September. He emphasized that, despite this potential obstacle, negotiations remain active and productive.
“We will just keep talking and presenting each other with ideas,” said Fitzgerald. “Ultimately, this will be done … The 11th hour is a training camp.”
This is a big decision for the Devils
Hughes, an important part of the emerging defensive core of New Jersey, is one of the few remaining RFAS competition. The fourth Pick 2021 has quickly developed into a cornerstone for the Devils, making this negotiation crucial for the team’s future plans. It is not only important that the Devils keep him in the fold, but signing him can keep Jack Hughes on the Roster and Quinn Hughes go to New Jersey in a few seasons, not before.
In a recent Postbag column, James Mirtle noted that it is “unlikely”, the Canucks will improve sufficiently in the 2025-26 season to convince Hughes to stay. Although there is currently no indication that there is a trade on the horizon, every future decision about his status can turn out to be franchise changing and a big victory for the Devils if they are the Quinn Hughes team.
For the time being, fans can expect conversations to intensify as camp approaches, in which the Devils in the hope of securing Hughes’ services for the long term – and the risk that their young star will immediately run to an unlimited free desk in five years.
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