Did Lane Hutson's new contract lay the groundwork for Thomas Harley's extension?

Before we dive into the main topic for this article, congratulations to Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson on his new contract. It was a well-deserved contract based on his rise as a young defenseman in the league. He's always a problem when the Dallas Stars take on the Canadiens. One question that lingered in my mind after he signed the contract was whether it would lay the groundwork for Thomas Harley's upcoming extension with the Star. Let's dive into that question now.

Thomas Harley Extension: What does Lane Hudson's contract look like?

According to PuckPedia, here is the outline of Hutson's contract. It's a pretty heavy signing bonus contract, but it's a pretty nice deal to be honest. Once Tyler Seguin's contract is up, the Stars will have a lot more money, long with the increase in the league's salary cap. This type of contract could work out in Harley's favor. I wouldn't be surprised if Jim Nill jumped in the spur of the moment and offered the same type of contract.

Thomas Harley Extension: Would Harley actually take the deal?

The question remains whether Thomas Harley would sign the deal. In terms of ensuring toif he would because ifNill's giving in, trade protection was he last three seasons of the extensiothe changinge whichley is expendable in trade talks. I'm sure Harley would like some more stability by adding some extra no-trade clause years to the deal. That could be what holds Harley back from signing this type of contract immediately.

Thomas Harley Extension: Why Harley won't be signing a contract any time soon

I don't think Harley will sign a contract extension until around the trade deadline in March next year. With the salary cap rising shortly, many players are holding out on signing an extension to raise the asking price. I believe that is what his agent are doing right now. They are playing the long game to see if Nill folds and gives Harley what he deserves. These are just tatics that agents use to get what their clients deserve.

Thomas Harley Extension: Conclusion

Thomas Harley is a beloved player on the Stars, and many fans want him to stick around here for a while. Wth his recent rise in the league, it's going to cost the Stars some money to keep him in Dallas for the foreseeable future. We will see if Nill takes Hutson's contract extension and uses it as the framework of Harley's extension as well. I wouldn't be surprised if Harley got extended like how Jake Oettinger signed his extension after Jeremy Swayman's long-term extension with Boston. It's too good of a deal to pass up.