Skip to content
Y
o
u
r
 
d
a
i
l
y
 
d
o
s
e
 
o
f
 
h
o
c
k
e
y
News

72M$ for Jakob Chychrun: Lane Hutson’s agent must be drooling
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
72M$ for Jakob Chychrun: Lane Hutson’s agent must be drooling
Credit: Getty Images
The Washington Capitals have just settled a major issue.

The club did what the Ottawa Senators were never able to do, which is to sign Jakob Chychrun long-term. He will earn $72 million over eight years, or $9 million per year.

This is a big move for Washington.

Jakob Chychrun is 26 years old and in his prime. Even if he’s not the most important defenseman for the Capitals (John Carlson is), he still has a good impact on his team.

He’s coming off two more ordinary seasons, but apparently, the Capitals have chosen to turn a blind eye.

But anyway. All this shows us that prices have gone up. $9 million per year is still a lot of money for a defenseman.

And necessarily, Lane Hutson’s agent must be salivating.

That being said, what we need to understand is that Lane Hutson doesn’t have 18 goals. You’ll tell me he has a lot more than Chychrun’s 43 points, which is very true.

But most importantly, the key element is that Chychrun was eligible for full autonomy this summer.

If Lane Hutson were to sign an eight-year contract that would be valid from 2026 to 2034, the Canadiens would be buying out a few years of autonomy, but also many years before he becomes eligible for full autonomy.

Those years aren’t worth as much because Hutson isn’t 100% free to go elsewhere.

If you think that has nothing to do with it, you’re wrong. Look at the no-trade clauses of players who sign such contracts: they often kick in when the player would have become a UFA. It’s just one indication among many.

I don’t necessarily think, despite the rising cap, that Hutson will earn more than Chychrun. And if Kent Hughes manages to sign him long-term this summer at a fair price for the player and the club, it will be one of his best moves since his arrival as GM with the Canadiens.


extension

On the other hand, if we play devil’s advocate, we note that Lane Hutson’s agent could tell Kent Hughes that at 21, Jake Sanderson took a little over $8 million per season… and that his client is more offensive than the Senators’ defenseman.

And Sanderson signed before the cap increase. Really, the negotiations with Hutson will be fascinating.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
More Content