Canadiens Prospect Review: Lane Hutson Shattered Expectations

The Montreal Canadiens have a relatively deep prospect pool.

But despite having a bevy of talented players at almost every position except for goaltending, there is one glaring weakness: a lack of high-end players that possess game-breaking potential.

However, thanks to the emergence of Boston University defenceman Lane Hutson as one of the most exciting prospects in the world, there is an added sense of hope that the current prospect pool may produce an elite player.

Hutson took the NCAA storm, beginning with a three-point game against Bentley in his first taste of college hockey, the first of his 16 multi-point efforts last season.

He quickly established himself as the king of the hill in our weekly Canadiens Prospect Power Rankings, not to mention, he accumulated so many accolades that he probably had to hire a carpenter to build a bigger trophy case, which may or may not be against NCAA rules.

You could even argue the Canadiens have never had a player of Hutson’s ilk in their prospect pool. At the very least, they’ve never had an NCAA player that has dominated his opponents as much as Hutson did during his rookie season.

Lane Hutson is going to be a problem. Short King SZN pic.twitter.com/Aw2h9oiMrB

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 17, 2023

By the Numbers

It’s hard to oversell Hutson’s offensive impact in 2022-23. Boston University’s leading scorer finished seventh in scoring among all NCAA players, and he also passed Brian Leetch as the highest-scoring freshman blueliner in Hockey East history.

With 15 goals and 33 assists in 39 games, Hutson finished the season by leading all NCAA defencemen in both goals and overall points, although it should be noted that 2021 fourth-overall pick Luke Hughes managed to match Hutson’s points total, albeit with fewer goals than his younger counterpart (10 goals, 38 assists).

To put a fine point on his ridiculous production, Hutson was seventh in the NCAA with five game-winning goals, ahead of players such as 2023 top prospect Adam Fantilli (4) and fellow Habs prospect Sean Farrell (4).

LANE HUTSON WITH THE OT WINNER

BOSTON WINS THE HOCKEY EAST TITLE pic.twitter.com/QtJ9rgEwRJ

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) March 19, 2023

His 1.23 points per game lead all defencemen in the country, eclipsing several top forward prospects in the process, including Matthew Knies (1.05), Matthew Coronato (1.06), and Cutter Gauthier (1.16).

Keep in mind that Hutson was producing these numbers as a rookie defenceman, not a top-rated forward as was the case with the majority of his competitors.

In addition, for the most part, Hutson was not used on Boston University’s top powerplay unit, which means the vast majority of his production came during even-strength play.

What The Prospect Experts Are Saying

Despite many scouts suddenly changing their public opinion regarding Hutson’s potential, very few had him listed in the first round of their pre-draft rankings.

Scott Wheeler was one.

Sebastian High was the other, though he put Hutson at 15th overall in his pre-draft rankings, which, unless I’m mistaken, was the only time we saw Hutson listed in the top 15 prior to the Canadiens drafting him.

“Lane Hutson took some big steps this season that exceeded even my lofty expectations,” explained High. “Despite the significant leap in the strength of his competition in the NCAA, Hutson was far more daring offensively at Boston University than he was in the NTDP, especially as a shooter. He’s also developed a strong sense for finding lanes to the slot, whether he uses those lanes to pass or skate into”

Lane Hutson with a wicked goal in the dying minutes to force OT in Boston. pic.twitter.com/At33JHlRzD

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) October 30, 2022

“He’s become far more purposeful with his individual puck touches, too. He rarely blindly circles around the offensive zone anymore, favouring give-and-gos and delays to open up space in medium and high-danger areas.

“This isn’t to say that he’s perfect, however, his pivots, gap management, and stability through contact have all improved but still have quite a ways to go before reaching an NHL level. Playing alongside a tremendously mobile and defensively stable defenseman in Tom Willander next season should help Hutson improve on those deficiencies, just as Hutson will help Willander gain confidence to activate offensively and be more daring in his activations.”

Just Lane Hutson doing Lane Hutson Things™️pic.twitter.com/cjIDMVERuG

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) May 9, 2023

Strengths

Hutson possesses the ideal combination of creativity and vision, not to mention offensive awareness.

He also has a penchant for taking matters into his own hands during big moments, which led to a bevy of perfectly-timed plays for the 19-year-old defencemen. His elevated Hockey IQ allows him to anticipate most plays, leaving him in the right place at the right time.

Despite being one of the youngest players on his team, Hutson has no issue using his confidence to attempt high-reward plays.

Simply put, he plays with the conviction of a 10-year veteran and the skill of a hockey phenom.

Unfortunately, his rookie season was so impressive that it was off the charts.

Literally.

There are historical precedents that can be used to evaluate his overall form.

🏒📊 Trying a new feature for the future website.

Prospects evaluation by organization. @CanadiensMTL

Funny Hutson doesn't have a % of top season in the NHL because there's no historical precedent for him in NCAA….. pic.twitter.com/SNdoKorz0h

— Thibaud Chatel (@Thibaud_Chatel) June 9, 2023

Weaknesses

Despite popular belief, Habs fans are well aware that Hutson is not a perfect player. It’s the reason why no one blinked when Hutson announced he was returning to the NCAA next year rather than playing for the Canadiens.

As is often the case with young, offensively-minded defencemen, Hutson needs to work on his play in the defensive zone.

The ridiculous criticism that arose during the World Championship was clearly overblown, but Hutson does tend to take the wrong angle of attack when defending the rush. It can put him in an awkward position, which gives opponents a little more open ice in which to use before taking a shot.

His pivots, in particular, need to be improved.

He also holds onto the puck for a little too long in the offensive zone, particularly when the game is on the line. He knows he’s usually the most talented player on the ice, and he puts an unreasonable amount of pressure on himself to score when Boston University falls behind.

What’s Next

Hutson is headed back to the NCAA for his sophomore season. He will play a prominent role for Boston University, which should include top-pairing duties as well as first power play unit responsibilities.

However, don’t be surprised if he ends up staying in the NCAA beyond for a third year.

It’s not that he necessarily needs three years to be ready to make the jump to professional hockey, but rather, there is absolutely no rush when it comes to his NHL ascension.

Of course, given that he already shattered all expectations during his rookie year, his NHL potential will have to be re-evaluated following the conclusion of his second season.

Regardless of how long he stays in the NCAA, one thing is certain: Lane Hutson is one of the most exciting prospects in Montreal Canadiens’ history.