Lane Hutson signs new deal with the Canadiens on Monday.

The Montreal Canadiens and Lane Hutson have reached an agreement.

After weeks of what felt like intensifying drama between the two parties, on Monday it was officially announced that the two sides had finally managed to find common ground and work out a deal.

According to an announcement from National Hockey League insider Chris Johnston, Hutson and the Canadiens have agreed to an 8 year deal that will come in at an average annual value and cap hit of $8.85 million per season, which works out to a total of $70.8 million over the next 8 years.

Hutson has proven himself to be one of the most dynamic young defensemen in the National Hockey League and is already drawing comparisons to the likes of Colorado Avalanche superstar defenseman Cale Makar. Hutson had an outstanding rookie campaign in which he recorded 6 goals and 60 assists for a total of 66 points over 82 games in his rookie year, earning himself the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in the process.

While Hutson's play on the ice has made a new contract seem like a no-brainer to most, there have been issues off the ice that played a significant role in making this process more difficult. Hutson's father, Rob Hutson, was reportedly heavily involved in the negotiating process, an involvement that some NHL insiders believe made the process considerably more difficult, and has also made public comments that many believe have reflected poorly on his son.

That will likely all be water under the bridge now with a new deal in place, and now it will be up to Hutson to prove that he is worthy of the investment the Canadiens have made in him. Hutson was off to a tough start to the season with no points in his first two games, and he will now have the chance to turn things around without any distractions regarding contract negotiations hanging over his head.