The New Jersey Devils have finally inked a long-term pact with defenseman Luke Hughes, ensuring the young star remains in the fold alongside his brother Jack for years to come. This seven-year extension, valued at $63 million, carries an average annual value of $9 million and kicks in after the 2025-26 season. It's a significant commitment, one that underscores the team's faith in the 22-year-old's potential despite some earlier negotiation hiccups.
Indeed, talks between Hughes and the Devils dragged on through the summer, with reports of disagreements over contract length. Luke reportedly pushed for a shorter bridge deal, while management held firm on locking him down long-term. The breakthrough came this week, just as training camps loomed, averting any holdout drama. Now, with this deal, Luke joins Jack in a sibling synergy that could define the franchise's next decade.
Jack Hughes, the Devils' dynamic center and captain, is already under contract through the 2030-31 season on an eight-year, $112 million extension signed back in 2021. That deal, with its $14 million AAV, has proven its worth as Jack continues to dazzle, racking up points and leading the offense. However, the brothers' contracts now align in a way that stabilizes the blue line and forward core. Luke's emergence last season—44 points in 82 games as a top-pair defenseman—made this extension inevitable, though the price tag raised eyebrows among some analysts for a player still building his resume.
Moreover, this move eases pressure on general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who had publicly called signing Luke his top priority. It also signals the Devils' aggressive blueprint: build around homegrown talent rather than chasing free agents. Yet, with cap space tightening, questions linger about veterans like Dougie Hamilton and how the roster shapes up. The Hughes duo, though, offers a tantalizing core.
In the end, as the Devils gear up for another playoff push, this contract might just be the piece that elevates them—or at least keeps the family affair intact amid the league's relentless churn.