Montreal Canadiens rookie defenceman Lane Hutson is having a rookie season for the ages. With 30 points in just 40 games, he is leading all rookies in scoring thus far. Standing at only 5″10, people questioned if Hutson’s offensive game could translate to the NHL level. They often criticized his defensive capabilities as well. But as the season has gone on, he has put the critics to rest and continues to defy all expectations. Hutson has put himself into some prestigious company and is poised to become one of the NHL’s premier defenceman.
Montreal Canadiens Defenceman Lane Hutson
Lane Hutson and the Canadiens
The Canadiens made one of the biggest draft steals in recent memory when they selected Hutson with the 62nd pick of the 2022 NHL draft. Hutson would go on to play for two years at Boston University after being drafted where he would dominate. He posted 97 points in 77 games across two seasons. Hutson was also nominated for the Hobey Baker in back-to-back years. He played at the World Juniors where he helped Team USA win gold and was recognized as one of the tournament’s top players. Despite Hutson’s impressive performances at the collegiate and junior levels, there were still many who doubted how his game would translate to the NHL.
Hutson made his NHL debut at the end of the 2023-24 season posting two assists in two games. He brought the Bell Centre crowd out of their seats every time he touched the puck and gave us a glimpse of what he could provide in the NHL. This season he struggled at times to start the year, especially in his end. But in the last several weeks he has shored up those issues and exploded offensively. Hutson earned Rookie of the Month honors for December after posting 13 points.
Putting Hutson’s Rookie Season Into Perspective
Hutson has become the fastest Canadiens defenseman to thirty career points surpassing Chris Chelios. His thirty points on the year have him on pace for 62 points. Only nine rookie defenceman have ever recorded sixty or more points in NHL history. Hutson currently sits in a tie for seventh in defensive scoring this season. He is tied with the likes of Erik Karlsson and Evan Bouchard and one point back of Adam Fox. At only 20 years old he is also outscoring established defenceman like Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin.
Hutson’s point pace as a rookie has him sitting amongst some elite company. Not only this season but all-time. The fact that he is outscoring and keeping up with the league’s premier players is a testament to Hutson’s offensive abilities. He is already being compared to the likes of Quinn Hughes and Fox. With his eye-popping numbers, Hutson is making a case as to why he should be the NHL’s rookie of the year.
Analyzing the Calder Trophy Race
With many elite young players across the league, this year’s Calder trophy race has been as competitive as ever. However, it has now been dubbed as a three-horse race by many. The horses involved are former first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini, Russian sniper Matvei Michkov, and Lane Hutson himself. Celebrini and Michkov have been the favorites for the majority of the year, but Hutson has closed the gap as of late. He now is outscoring both players as a defenceman which is no easy feat.
The big difference for Hutson has been his usage. He started the year on the second pair and second powerplay unit. But he has since been promoted to the top pair with Mike Matheson. He also took over the veteran’s spot as the top powerplay unit quarterback. He leads a unit that consists of himself, Patrik Laine, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky. His fellow teammate Laine has gone on record saying that Hutson is the best power-play quarterback he has ever played with. Hutson’s increased role has led to more point production and has helped the powerplay unit become one of the league’s most dangerous.
If Hutson continues his point pace and eclipses or draws near Michkov and Celebrini’s totals at the season’s end, he definitely should be the Calder favourite. With only nine defenceman in history hitting 60 points as a rookie, if Hutson can become the tenth, the Rookie of the Year honor should be his.
Main Photo: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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