Action on the restricted free agent market has been a slow, drawn-out proce s around the NHL this offseason. Several marquee names have either just recently finalized extensions or remain unsigned as we close in on September and the start of training camps. Luke Hughes is one of those who's yet to ink a new deal, having just played out the final season of his three-year, $2.775 million Jason Heyward Jersey entry-level contract in New Jersey. While it's still too early to panic, an interesting report surfaced on Friday from team reporter Ryan Novozinsky, stating that things are complicated between Hughes and the Devils. Here was the full update he provided in an article for . "The Luke Hughes situation is getting tricky. The Devils are still negotiating hard with their 21-year-old restricted free agent, but several factors are drawing out the proce s," Novozinsky wrote. "For starters, the two sides seem to want different things. Last we heard, the Devils were seeking either a shorter bridge deal (around three years) or the max eight years, while the Hughes side wants to line Luke's deal up with his brother Jack, who becomes a free agent in 2030 (so, a five-year extension for Luke)," Novozinsky added. Here's the latest I've got on the -Luke Hughes talks. Ryan Novozinsky (@ryannovoNHL) The 21-year-old tallied 44 points (seven goals, 37 a sists) in just 71 games from the blue line during the 2024-25 season. Hughes' potential is sky-high Luke Hughes has impre sed in his first two full NHL seasons, and he's only just scratching the surface of what he may become. The 2021 fourth-overall pick was recently recognized for it, landing the number 18 spot on NHL Network's "Top 25 Players Born in This Quarter Century" list. What are your thoughts on our Top 25 Players Born in This Quarter Century list? NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) Whether he was just being humble or not, his brother Quinn Hughes has said he believes Luke is even better than him, and we know how good the Canucks captain is himself. You can understand where both sides are coming from when it comes to contract negotiations between Hughes and the Devils, but at some point, general manager Tom Fitzgerald will need to get this deal done, because this is their future on defense that we're talking about. Penn Murfee Jersey