Luke Hughes and his camp want a five-year contract and are firm on that demand. A five-year deal would take Hughes to unrestricted free agency when his brother Jack’s contract also expires, allowing them to decide their futures together. The Devils prefer either a shorter bridge or a longer-term extension and view a five-year term as the least desirable option. Hughes remains a restricted free agent and is a key part of New Jersey’s defensive core as he continues to develop. Anze Kopitar has mentioned retirement and the potential significance of the upcoming season for his career. The Ottawa Senators and Shane Pinto may pursue an extension but both sides intend to approach negotiations patiently.
While most of the chatter this summer about the Hughes brothers has been about Quinn Hughes ultimately finding his way to the Devils, the fact that Luke is still without a contract is becoming a big storyline, too. Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com reported that Luke and his camp want a five-year deal and are pretty firm on that. That is because his brother Jack, the superstar center on the Devils, also has a deal expiring in five years after signing an eight-year extension in 2021.
Hughes is one of the few remaining restricted free agents, and while the Devils have a strong team and Hughes is still coming into his own, he is a huge part of the defensive group that has been built by the Devils. Teams often shy away from bringing any player right to unrestricted free agency, but with the influence of his brother(s), the Devils will want to avoid that at all costs.
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