The New Jersey Devils have locked up their franchise defenceman.
Luke Hughes has signed a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $9 million, the team announced Wednesday.
Hughes, 22, entered the off-season as a restricted free agent following the expiry of his three-year, $2.78-million entry-level contract.
Picked fourth overall by the Devils in the 2021 NHL Draft, Hughes made his NHL debut late in 2022-23 after finishing his second season at the University of Michigan.
Hughes was named to the NHL’s all-rookie team in 2024 after his first full season in the league.
In 71 games last season, Hughes posted 44 points (seven goals and 37 assists). He appeared in Game 1 of the Devils’ first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes but suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. He missed the remainder of the series — which the Devils lost in five games.
Hughes has recorded 93 points (17 goals and 76 assists) across 155 career NHL games.
Hughes’ brother and teammate, Jack Hughes, is entering the fourth year of an eight-year deal with the Devils.
Quinn Hughes, a brother of both Devils, is the captain of the Vancouver Canucks.
