New Jersey Devils fans have a one-track mind from now until the start of training camp. They want a Luke Hughes contract extension done. To be fair, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said that this was his number-one priority almost two months ago. The fact it hasn’t gotten done at this point has concerned some.
In a new interview with James Murphy of RG, Fitzgerald said he wasn’t worried. He adamantly said the contract would get done.
"The 11th hour is training camp. Right? A lot of times, a lot of the stuff doesn't get done until the 11th hour. We're hoping we can get something done here in quick fashion, and both sides are working hard at it; that’s for sure."Tom Fitzgerald, Devils GM via RG
Most fans would love if this didn't take until the 11th hour. The Jack Hughes negotiations got done in the 2nd hour. This is not a good approach to take to future negotiations, especially one for Nico Hischier. Patience is a virtue, but it can also cause hurt feelings and cause emotions to build.
Tom Fitzgerald tries to quell any worries about Luke Hughes's contract
Of course, if reports are true that Luke Hughes and his agent Pat Brisson were looking to sign a five-year deal, then it makes sense that Fitzgerald is holding his ground. The Devils must avoid that option at all costs.
Last week, we talked about when Devils fans should panic. We're not even there yet. Are we upset that this is likely going into September? It's not ideal, that's for sure. However, it's not "panic time." That doesn't start until rookie training camp starts on September 10th.