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Luke Hughes & Philip Broberg Show The Reward Of Paying Defensemen With Upside
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- Luke Hughes & Philip Broberg Show The Reward Of Paying Defensemen With Upside
On Thursday night, the New Jersey Devils host the St. Louis Blues, and a subplot is the matchup of two emerging two-way defensemen. Philip Broberg has been that for the Blues since he signed the offer sheet in the 2024 offseason, while Luke Hughes is establishing himself as one this season.
The fascination with both defensemen is that they were paid before they hit their prime. Hughes signed a seven-year deal with a $9 million average annual value ahead of the 2025-26 season, while Broberg was given a six-year extension with an $8 million AAV in Jan. 2026.
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Both Contracts Paid Unproven Defensemen But Are The New Way Of Thinking
It was easy to look at the Broberg or Hughes deals as overpays. Both defensemen put together small sample sizes, with fewer than 200 games under their belt, but showed flashes. It's a contrast to the way contracts were previously handed out.
Most front offices have a reputation for paying for past success or a proven track record. For defensemen, they are underpaid for multiple seasons and then become overpaid when they negotiate their final big payday.
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Likewise, teams preferred to give their defensemen bridge deals that would bring them to free agency in their prime. Noah Dobson signed a three-year bridge deal with the New York Islanders in 2022 before he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens and subsequently signed his long-term deal.
Broberg only had 56 points in 194 games before signing his deal. There was a risk of the bet backfiring since he had yet to prove he could be a true number one defenseman. The same was the same with Hughes, who had yet to prove he could be the go-to scoring defenseman for the Devils.
But with both players, the teams weren't paying them for what they've done. They paid them for their upside, something many teams have started doing around the league. The big contract that turned heads this summer was the Leo Carlsson offer sheet that was matched by the Anaheim Ducks, a true bet on future success, and he wasn't the only one either. Teams want to lock up their young talent early, and with the rising cap, they'll hope the contracts age well.
Both The Blues & Devils Are Seeing The Benefit
This season, the Blues are seeing a 25-year-old Broberg not only emerge as their number one defenseman, but also as one of the best young defensemen in the game. He averages 24:05 of ice time, leading all skaters on the team, and has 10 points in 15 games.
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The Blues aren't a shutdown team defensively, allowing 3.00 goals per game. That said, Broberg plays a pivotal role in their success on the defensive end, with a team-leading 0.9 defensive point share and 22 blocked shots, trailing only Colton Parayko for the team lead.
Hughes is having a breakout year on a surging Devils team. His five goals are the fourth-most on the team and have put his puck-handling on display, especially with some highlight goals. Plus, his 1.2 defensive point shares are the second-most on the Devils, behind his defense partner, Brett Pesce.
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For the Devils, Hughes gives them a higher ceiling. One of the questions heading into the season was whether they had a defenseman who could open up the offense from the point and, if they didn't, whether a move would be necessary. Hughes has been the answer and one of the reasons for the strong start.
The Devils are also one of the best teams defensively in the NHL, allowing only 2.87 goals per game, the seventh-fewest in the league. Connor Hellebuyck in the net helps, as does depth on the blue line, but a big reason for the success is the leap from Hughes, who has rounded out his two-way game.
The Extra Benefit To Signing These Defensemen Early
The salary cap isn't just rising; it's skyrocketing. It's led to some contracts that would have been unthinkable a few seasons back. The Carlsson deal stands out, but Cale Makar passed the $20 million AAV threshold this offseason.
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There's a good chance Quinn Hughes does the same. Zach Werenski's contract is up after next season, and as the 2026 Norris Trophy winner, he can be in the same range. Likewise, when Matthew Schaefer's entry-level contract expires, he could break the record as well.
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It's not just the star defensemen who are poised to see a pay raise. Vince Dunn is a free agent this summer as well, and he's arguably the next best defenseman on the market behind Quinn Hughes. Rasmus Ristolainen is playing on the final year of his contract and can still find a high AAV deal somewhere.
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And through all of this, the Blues have Broberg on an $8 million AAV, and the Devils have Hughes under contract with a $9 million AAV. While both defensemen aren't in the same tier as Makar or Werenski, they can at more than half the price and give their teams more flexibility.
