Montreal Canadiens: The Three Contracts That Prove Kent Hughes is a Freakin’ Genius

Vincent Lecavalier

One of Kent Hughes first star clients was 1998 1st overall pick and Ile Bizard, Quebec native Vincent Lecavalier. The star centre made well over $100 million in his NHL career, but it wasn’t even his biggest contract that was the most impressive work done by Hughes.

The 11 year and $85 million contract extension signed by Lecavalier in 2008 was a nice piece of work by his agent, but Lecavalier signed the deal after scoring 40 goals and 92 points and 52 goals and 108 points in the two previous seasons. Getting him one of the biggest contracts in the league when he was one of the top scorers in the league wasn’t really a magician’s trick.

However, Lecavalier didn’t quite live up to that enormous contract and when the Tampa Bay Lightning had an opportunity to buy him out without cap penalties in 2013, they did. At that point, Lecavalier was 33 years old, quickly slowing down, and had 81 points in 103 games over the previous two seasons.

That isn’t awful production, but the game just kept speeding up and the big centre kept slowing down, while injuries were a concern for three consecutive seasons. So, the Lightning cut ties with him and he became a free agent for the first time in his career.

He had good numbers over the previous two seasons, so there was no question teams would be calling, but nobody expected the contract that Kent Hughes would negotiate for him.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed the rapidly aging 33 year old to a five year contract with a $4.5 million cap hit. There were rumours he might sign with the Canadiens, but fans were expecting a contract like the one Daniel Briere eventually signed here which was $4 million per year but for just two years.

Five years for a 33 year old who just got bought out by the team that picked him first overall, named him captain, won their first and only (at the time) Stanley Cup because of him? The Lighting were then on the hook for nearly $33 million in payments to Lecavalier over the next 11 years. He is still collecting $1,761,905 from them each year until 2027.

Clearly, the Lightning were desperate to get rid of him, but Hughes talked the Flyers into bringing him on board for half a decade.