New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald revealed how tough contract negotiations are in the National Hockey League when he discussed the process regarding Luke Hughes' deal. Hughes, who got his seven-year, $63 million contract on Oct 1, is living up to the billing, with five assists in seven games, a plus-3, and 20 minutes and 16 seconds of average total ice time.
As for getting that deal done? Fitzgerald was blunt when he told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, "Listen, people might ask why these things aren’t done in July. Because there’s no 11th hour in July. A proposal in July turns into a counter in August turns into another counter in September, then camp is here and the urgency starts to get going.
“But we knew we would sign Luke to a long-term deal. We know how much he and his family love New Jersey. He’s a big part of our team now, never mind the future. So it was just trying to make it all work, and we did.”
Recent signings show that Tom Fitzgerald is correct
In many ways, Fitzgerald is right. Look at how many players signed extensions with their respective teams around the same time as Hughes. Kirill Kaprizov inked his extension with the Minnesota Wild on Sept. 30, one day before Hughes.
Meanwhile, Niko Mikkola, Jackson LaCombe, Luke Evangelista, Filip Gustavsson, Connor McDavid, Jake Walman, Kyle Connor, and Jack Eichel all got new deals in the following days. Chances are, every one of those players started negotiations back as early as July, but with the season still so far off in the distance, there was no reason to rush.
Once the season is within the horizon, then you want to get those deals done so you can eliminate every possible distraction that may get in your way. Few know that more than Fitzgerald, who has been in NHL front offices for over 15 years.
No need to panic until there is a reason to panic for hockey fans
For Devils fans and those following the league's other 31 teams, this should assure them that, just because nobody reached a deal in July or August, it doesn't mean contract talks aren't going well. There is just a difference in patience between three months before the puck drops and literally days before it does.
And this won't be the last time you will see a star player, or a brewing star, seemingly hold out until the last few minutes. But in the future, you now know that they're literally taking their time when players, coaches, and executives are thinking more about summer vacation than they are contract negotiations.
And after a seven-month regular season, a two-month postseason, the draft, and free agency, with all the travel and late nights, you can't blame them.