Habs Daily: Hutson Extension, Salary Cap Situation, Rocket

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories, and content you may have missed on a very busy Monday.

Montreal Canadiens News

The big news everyone was waiting for has finally arrived. The Laval Rocket have signed former Canadiens prospect Josiah Didier to a professional tryout. Didier, 32, has spent the last four years serving as a captain in the AHL, splitting time between the Providence Bruins and the Grand Rapid Griffins. The interest in the right-handed defenceman speaks to the current lack of defensive depth in Laval without prospect David Reinbacher in the mix.

Le Rocket de Laval a annoncé avoir accordé un contrat d’essai professionnel au défenseur Josiah Didier

The Laval Rocket signed defenseman Josiah Didier to a professional tryout contract pic.twitter.com/vfvvTiDzg2

— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 13, 2025

In other news, the Canadiens came to terms with Lane Hutson on an eight-year contract extension that carries an $8.85 million annual average value (AAV). The extension is a crucial step forward for a franchise that is looking to re-establish itself as one of the best in the NHL. [Canadiens Hutson Contract Extension Represents The Next Great Hope]

The Canadiens have a decent amount of cap space this season, but the real opportunity will come in 2026-27. With their core players locked in for the foreseeable future, Kent Hughes has plenty of financial manoeuvrability due to the healthy salary-cap situation. [Canadiens Long-Term Salary Cap Situation Including Hutson]

National Hockey Now Network

For the first time this season, the Florida Panthers tasted defeat. On the flip side, the host Flyers got their first win. The Panthers, one of three teams to start 3-0 in the past 25 years after winning the Stanley Cup the previous season, found themselves down a pair of goals for the first time, but their rally came up short in a 5-2 loss to the Flyers which featured a pair of empty-net goals.[Florida Panthers]

Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang returned to practice on Monday after leaving the Penguins’ 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday early in the third period with a lower-body injury. [Pittsburgh Penguins]

The Avalanche weren’t at their best in an early afternoon matinée matchup in Buffalo on Monday. [Colorado Avalanche]