Lane Hutson’s Calder-winning rookie season anchors Montreal’s long-term plan as talks on his next deal heat up. Sources say both sides are in a good place and contract discussions are ongoing, with a seven-year, roughly $56 million target floated as a feasible ceiling for a cornerstone defenseman. Montreal’s young core—Hutson, Guhle, Struble, plus veterans like Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson on the backend—gives the Canadiens a dynamic, puck-moving layer to pair with depth, setting up a potential playoff push in a still-open Eastern Conference. The Panthers remain the division bar, but Montreal’s path to relevance, playoffs, and sustained fantasy upside looks clearer with Hutson at the helm and a growing blueline around him.

Hutson’s rise, selected 62nd in 2022, maps onto a future where Montreal leans on a blue line built for offense and elite defensive play. Dobson adds veteran steadiness, Guhle and Struble blend youth with upside, and Matheson supplies experience. Retaining Hutson is portrayed as the next-step move to lock in a bright, long-term horizon for the Canadiens, making the team and fantasy rosters worth watching as the contracts and development timeline unfold.