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18h ago

Devils GM Confident Luke Hughes Deal Will Get Done as Camp Nears

The key issue is term length, specifically a five-year preference from Hughes versus team proposals for eight years or a short bridge.

Apr 13, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) skates with the puck against the New York Islanders during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Luke Hughes remains a restricted free agent and negotiations with the New Jersey Devils are ongoing.
  • General manager Tom Fitzgerald said training camp is the “11th hour” for talks and expressed confidence an agreement will be reached.
  • Reporting relayed by Spector’s Hockey cites NJ.com indicating the club sought either a maximum eight-year contract or a two-year bridge, while Hughes’ camp prefers five years that would run through 2030.
  • Hughes is not eligible to sign an offer sheet, narrowing outside options during the negotiation.
  • Both sides want to avoid a Dawson Mercer–style standoff that extended past the start of camp, and Hughes is projected for a top-pair role in 2025–26.