Over the past few weeks I've seen a ton of posts, articles, blogs and comments from Devils fans stressing the Luke Hughes/Hughes Bros. 2030 Exodus situation and felt obliged to come here and in the words of Bob Marley, tell you that every little thing is gonna' be alright. Here's a few things to consider while weaving hockey webs in your Devils starved minds as summer winds down.
No Luke extension yet: Both parties here are fully informed on each other's intentions. They understand fully the cap issues and are both patiently riding it out. Tom Fitzgerald was recently quoted saying, "The 11th hour is training camp...A lot of stuff doesn't get done until the 11th hour...". In addition, hours 2-10 of the NHL off-season are notorioulsy dormant. Front offices, players and agents alike are all enjoying their time off, as we all should. So let's not overthink it here...
Luke seeking only 5 years: This is a great job by Agent Pat Brisson to request this accommodation for his client. With Jack expiring in 2030, Luke aligning with his brother gives the Hughes camp the best leverage in future negotiations. It's not the Hughes boys saying they can't wait to leave NJ. They're extremely happy here and are in no way planning a departure. However, what this does tell us is they're playing it safe. Just in case things don't work out in NJ, the brothers will be able to choose their next destination together, with ease. When I say brothers, you can include future Devil Quinn Hughes in there, who will undoubtedly sign his next deal to expire in 2030 to coincide with his family.
Enjoy the next 5: Enough with the doom! The Devils have been plagued with injuries the last few years, and that black cloud seems to have passed. Jersey's window with this amazing young core is about to fully open at the start of this upcoming season. Valuable lessons have been learned both by players and front office that could only be done with these valuable years of experience. Tom Fitzgerald has locked in a bunch of key pieces at cap friendly numbers, especially since the cap is set to increase exponentially the next few seasons. Quinn Hughes' arrival, despite the recent developments, is still inevitable in my mind. QH or not, this team is finally ready to contend, enjoy it!
So if you're stressing about this upcoming season, just listen to the words of Bob Marley. If that doesn't work, maybe you need to smoke the weeds of Bob Marley. Whatever path you take, just know the 25-26' Devils will be Jammin' in the name of the Lord(Stanley that is).
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