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Canadiens Should Be Paying Attention To This Contract Negotiation

As the 2025-26 season is still a month away, the days are trickling down for teams to reach an agreement with their RFAs that aren’t signed yet. Most of the Montreal Canadiens’ fanbase is keeping an eye on the Anaheim Ducks and Mason McTavish, but the Habs’ brass should be keeping a close watch on the Luke Hughes negotiations with the New Jersey Devils.

Not that the Canadiens would be interested in acquiring Jack Hughes’ brother, but rather because, like Lane Hutson, he’s a young offensive defenseman, and his deal could be a good indicator of where the market is heading with the new CBA soon coming into force and the salary cap steadily increasing.

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According to Sportsnet, the sticking point in the Hughes negotiations would be the term. The team wants the 21-year-old to either sign a three-year bridge deal or a full eight-year extension, but the player would rather sign a five-year deal, which would end when his brother’s contract with the Devils also expires. It would make both Hughes brothers unrestricted free agents before the start of the 2030-31 campaign.

Speaking to RG.org, the Devils’ GM Tom Fitzgerald is confident that the younger Hughes’ contractual issue will be settled before the start of the season, as the Devils have no interest in finding themselves in another Dawson Mercer kind of standout, and the GM adds that the player and his agent are also hoping to avoid that.

In 155 NHL games, Hughes has picked up 93 points and 44 penalty minutes. That’s a 0.6 point-per-game average, which is a pretty good number for a defenseman. In comparison, Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber has 76 points in 162 games, for a 0.47 PPG, and was signed to an eight-year, $8.5 million AAV deal.

The Devils' GM also mentions that what fans don’t necessarily realize is that not all teams can spend right up to the cap, and that they may have an internal cap in place, which prevents them from giving too onerous a contract.

Whatever term and number the Devils and Hughes settle on, it’s sure to interest Hutson and his agent. Interestingly, Noah Dobson, who has a 0.59 PPG, was signed to an eight-year deal with a $9.5 million AAV by the New York Islanders, but with the Canadiens’ agreement. Will Hughes managed to secure a similar contract coming out of his entry-level deal, despite not having a large sample size. There lies the question.

As for Hutson, by recording 66 points in 82 games in his rookie season, he has given himself a 0.80 PPG. Does that put him in a position to break the bank right away, considering the cap increase and everything else? Hard to say. However, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes made a point of differentiating Dobson’s deal and those of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky because the defenseman had more experience and wasn’t just signing his first standard contract. One could argue that his situation is different from Hutson’s, and that’s clearly what Hughes will try to do, especially if New Jersey manages to ink its defenseman to a reasonable contract.  

With Carey Price’s bonus being paid on Monday, things could start to fall into place in Montreal sooner rather than later…

 

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Buildup to Liverpool v Arsenal and Celtic v Rangers – matchday live as it happened

Updates and latest transfer news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League games and Old Firm derby

Ewan Murray, who will be joining us later, has previewed the Old Firm.

It was also a day of uncertainty for West Ham. There were a lot of reports around about Aston Villa agreeing a deal to sign Lucas Paqueta but those were premature. Villa were looking at a loan with an obligation to buy. West Ham have no intention of selling the Brazilian. The latest from the club and Paqueta’s camp is that he will not leave during this window. West Ham are at Nottingham Forest later. Paqueta trained on Saturday and travelled with the squad. There’s some doubt over his involvement because of the speculation over his future but sources at West Ham remain confident he’ll play. Nayef Aguerd, though, is not expected to be involved. He wants out.

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Why top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge draws inspiration from Max Scherzer

Why top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge draws inspiration from Max Scherzer originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Bryce Eldridge draws his baseball inspiration from an unlikely source.

The Giants’ top prospect revealed in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic on the latest “Giants Talk” podcast the one star who made a big impact on him as a young player dreaming of making the big leagues.

“This sounds kind of crazy because it was a pitcher, but Max Scherzer was one of my favorite players growing up,” Eldridge told Pavlovic. “Obviously, I’m a hitter now. I pitched growing up, and just the attitude he has towards the game and the craziness he has, that’s what makes him who he is, and that’s what makes him good. He’s crazy enough to not let himself fail.

“I think that’s something everyone needs, that want to be the best you can be and the want to be better every day. I think he refuses to lose, he refuses to let himself fail, and that’s something I learned from him. And I’m not necessarily yelling on the field or any of that crazy stuff, but he has that fire for the game that I look up to.”

The 20-year-old is one of the most electrifying prospects in the minor leagues right now, and the expectation is that he could get called up to San Francisco’s roster in the coming weeks. Ranked as MLB’s No. 13 overall prospect, Eldridge has that unique combination of size and athleticism that baseball teams covet.

While Eldridge has the potential to become a stellar power hitter at the major-league level, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey isn’t rushing his development. The power-hitting potential is there, for sure, but the 20-year-old still has a way to go when it comes to adjusting to the speed of major-league pitching.

With the Giants’ playoff hopes sinking by the day, it could be time for a late-season call-up for Eldridge. Still, given that the 20-year-old plays first base and San Francisco has loads of depth at that position already, it’s uncertain that the prospect will get moved up to the roster this season.

When he finally does get the call to the big leagues, expect plenty of intensity and passion from Eldridge as he attempts to channel the best parts of his idol, Scherzer.

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Snooker’s answer to Luke Littler? Meet teenage sensation Stan Moody

Halifax youngster has entered world’s top 64 and is spark the sport needs to find mainstream attention in the UK

It is commonly known these days as the Luke Littler effect. A teenage phenomenon bursting on to the scene and almost becoming a bigger force of nature than the sport he or she was born to succeed in. But while darts is only experiencing that boom now, snooker has tasted this sensation before.

In the 1990s, it was Ronnie O’Sullivan’s arrival on the baize as a teenager that revitalised snooker’s fortunes in the UK. In the mid-2000s, Ding Junhui’s emergence led to the explosion of the game in China – which has just produced its first world champion in the shape of Zhao Xintong, one of millions who was inspired to pick up a cue by Ding.

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Felix Auger-Aliassime stuns No 3 Zverev to return to US Open second week

  • Auger-Aliassime beats Zverev in four-set thriller

  • Zverev suffers earliest New York exit since 2018

Felix Auger-Aliassime stormed into the last 16 of the US Open on Saturday night with a rousing comeback win over world No 3 Alexander Zverev, knocking out one of the title favorites 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-4 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The Canadian 25th seed had not reached the second week in New York since his semi-final run in 2021 but summoned some of the best tennis of his career to secure a first grand slam victory over a top-five opponent. The match stretched to three hours and 48 minutes and finished shortly before midnight, delaying the night session that followed.

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Mistake-prone Dodgers fail Tyler Glasnow in loss to Arizona: 'We beat ourselves'

Los Angeles, CA - August 30: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) pitches.
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers in the third inning of a 6-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers have won 71 games since Tyler Glasnow earned his last victory.

That was March 31, 152 days ago. The season was six games old then. No other pitcher with at least 13 major league starts has gone longer without a win this season.

Yet Glasnow was never deserving of a better fate than he was Saturday, when he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout into the seventh, only to wind up with the loss when the Dodgers fell 6-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With the Padres beating the Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers’ lead in the National League West is back at one game.

It’s not as if Glasnow has pitched poorly. In one start he didn’t yield a run and in four others he gave up just one.

Read more:Hernández: Everyone can stop wondering. Mookie Betts isn't moving back to right field

He didn’t get the win in any of those games — and that’s starting to get old.

“I know our team will will come back and play better,” said Glasnow, easily the best pitcher in baseball with a 1-3 record. “But it's frustrating right now.”

In four of his first 13 starts, the Dodgers (77-59) didn’t score a run behind him. So while his 2.45 earned-run average and six earned runs given up in four July appearances led the team’s starters, all he had was a loss and three no decisions to show for it.

He was almost as good in August — when his record was 0-2.

“He can only do what he can do,” manager Dave Roberts said. “So, yeah, if you're not scoring runs, it certainly decreases your margin. But the pitcher's got to do what he's got to do. The defense has got to do what they've got to do, and then the offense has got to do what they’ve got to do.”

Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernández reacts after striking out in the seventh inning Saturday against Arizona.
Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernández reacts after striking out in the seventh inning Saturday against Arizona. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Only one of those three things happened Saturday, when Glasnow retired the first 10 batters on just 39 pitches, striking out four.

The spell was broken with one out in the fourth when Glasnow hit Ketel Marte with a 1-1 pitch. He escaped the inning without further damage and with the no-hitter intact.

“I was aware of it, yeah,” he said of the no-hitter.

Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez (6-8) was nearly as stingy, however, giving up just two hits through four innings, although he did walk two.

Rodriguez, who started the night with a 5.67 ERA, is the fourth starter with an ERA over 5.00 the Dodgers have faced in their past eight games. They have lost all four games, scoring one run in 24 innings combined against the four pitchers.

“Every day I write the lineup down and I feel good about the guys that we're running out there. And you know it comes to having a plan and when you have an opportunity to take advantage, you have to do your job,” Roberts said.

“I still feel like our guys are better but all that matters is how you perform.”

The Dodgers nearly got to Rodriguez in the fifth inning when Kiké Hernández led off with a hard grounder that got by third baseman Blaze Alexander for a single. Miguel Rojas then sent him to third with a double and Shohei Ohtani followed with what should have been a sacrifice fly to left.

The throw from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was off line but when Hernández didn’t slide, catcher Gabriel Moreno was able to retrieve the ball and tag the runner to complete the double play. After a long review, the call by plate umpire Dan Bellino was affirmed.

Hernández, who had his back to Gurriel, said he looked for on-deck hitter Mookie Betts for help, but Betts was out of position.

“I didn't see Mookie, and I didn't slide,” he said. “I was out. I thought I was safe.”

That was just one of a number of sloppy mistakes made by the Dodgers, who had two runners thrown out on the bases and made two fielding errors.

Dodgers baserunner Freddie Freeman is tagged out by Arizona third baseman Blaze Alexander.
Dodgers baserunner Freddie Freeman is tagged out by Arizona third baseman Blaze Alexander during the fourth inning Saturday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

“Tonight, there was a lot of things that I'm not going to get into that just lends itself to really uncharacteristic lack of focus,” a visibly frustrated Roberts said. “There were some things, whether it's an at-bat here or there, whether it's a play here or there, that [were] just mistakes and execution that just can't happen.

“We gave it away. We beat ourselves. So, yeah, this is this a tough one. I just really can't excuse it.”

Glasnow, meanwhile, lost his no-hitter on Ildemaro Vargas’ infield single in the sixth and his shutout on Corbin Carroll’s home run in the seventh — after which his night spiraled out of control.

Gurriel followed with a sinking liner to center that Andy Pages kicked away for a double and when Teoscar Hernández was unable to squeeze Alexander’s long drive at the wall in right-center, which went for another double, the Diamondbacks (68-69) had runners on second and third with no outs.

Moreno drove Gurriel in on a fly ball to center and Alexander followed him home when Pages’ throw from center skipped away from Kiké Hernández at third to make it 3-0.

Glasnow, who didn’t come out for the eighth, threw 100 pitches in a season-high seven innings, striking out six. The Dodgers got him a run — the first they’ve scored for him in two starts and 11 innings — thanks to an RBI single by Betts. But Smith flew out to center to end the inning.

The Dodgers were one for eight with runners in scoring position Saturday, leaving eight runners on base.

Arizona then put the game away in the ninth, reaching reliever Kirby Yates for three runs on a single, a two-out walk and Vargas’ second homer of the season, a 423-foot bomb to right-center.

“This is a great opportunity that we have, and you’ve got to embrace it,” Roberts said. “You’ve got to want to get out there. You’ve got to have fun competing. And it just seems like the last couple nights, at some points it was an unrecognizable ballclub.

“We’ve got to play better. We do.”

Etc.

Monday is the Dodgers’ second off day in less than a week so manager Dave Roberts plans to skip Emmet Sheehan’s spot in the rotation. Sheehan shut out the Reds on two hits in a career-best seven innings in his last outing. The right-hander could pitch out of the bullpen Sunday, but Roberts will open the team’s six-game road trip to Pittsburgh and Baltimore with Clayton Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani.

Reliever Michael Kopech, who has spent most of the season on the injured list with knee and shoulder issues, will accompany the team on its East Coast road trip and could be activated Tuesday. Brock Stewart, sidelined since Aug. 12 with shoulder inflammation, has resumed throwing after getting a cortisone shot.

Kyle Hurt, who pitched in four games over the past two seasons before undergoing surgery to repair a ligament in his right elbow last July, faced live hitters in a multi-inning simulated game Saturday and will pitch at Oklahoma City in September. “It’s been a long 13 months. I’m very excited to be back,” said Hurt, 27.

Roberts did not rule out a bullpen role for Hurt down the stretch.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.