The New Jersey Devils are under pressure right now, with limited cap space and reports of struggles in contract negotiations.
NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky reported Friday that Luke Hughes and the Devils are not on the same page in talks. Hughes and his camp are seeking a five-year deal, while the Devils prefer either three years or a full eight-year commitment.
The reasoning behind the five-year request? Luke Hughes wants his free agency to line up with that of his older brother, Jack Hughes.
Jack is entering the third year of his eight-year, $64 million contract, which expires in 2030, the same year Luke is aiming to hit free agency.
While contract term is the central issue, the Devils and general manager Tom Fitzgerald face another challenge: the salary cap.
New Jersey currently sits just under $7 million in cap space. At the start of free agency, they had 18 restricted or unrestricted free agents to address:
Unrestricted Free Agents
- F Tomas Tatar
- F Nathan Bastian
- F Curtis Lazar
- F Daniel Sprong
- F Justin Dowling
- D Brian Dumoulin
- D Dennis Cholowski
- G Jake Allen
- F Max Willman
- F Sam Laberge
- F Marc McLaughlin
- D Tory Dello
Restricted Free Agents
- F Cody Glass
- F Nolan Foote
- D Luke Hughes
- F Nathan Légaré
- D Santeri Hatakka
- G Isaac Poulter
After two months and several moves, only two players remain unsigned: Max Willman and Luke Hughes.
Willman, who tallied 30 points in 69 games for Utica last season, is expected to remain an unrestricted free agent. His future is far less certain than Hughes’, with no clear destination at this time.
That leaves Hughes as the Devils’ primary concern. With just under $7 million in space, the Devils must either fit his deal under that number or clear additional cap room to accommodate a higher annual value.
There is one temporary workaround. The Devils are permitted to go over the cap in the offseason, as long as they are compliant by opening night on October 9, 2025.
To make space, the Devils could consider moving a big-name contract, such as Dougie Hamilton or Ondrej Palát, or negotiate a deal with Hughes that fits within the existing constraints.
Either way, New Jersey needs to resolve Hughes’ contract situation before the puck drops on October 9.