Canadiens Draft Targets: Cole Hutson Could Spike Interest

All the talk has been on the Montreal Canadiens and who they’ll pick at 5th overall, but they also own another 1st-round pick that could net them a special player.

After NHL betting odds correctly predicted that  Montreal would be selecting at 5th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, they’ll also be picking at 26th overall thanks to an extra first-round pick that was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Sean Monahan last February.

There are quite a few prospects that could be available at 26th overall, but one that is likely more familiar to Canadiens fans is the younger brother of top prospect, Lane Hutson.

Cole Hutson, an electric offensive defenceman in his own right, is ranked right around where the Montreal Canadiens would be set to select for the second time in the first round, assuming the pick isn’t moved in a deal for an offensive forward.

In order to learn more about the player, MHN took some time to sit down with the 18-year-old and talk about his record-breaking season:

Similar, Yet Different

Cole Hutson is much more than simply just Lane’s younger brother, he’s achieved success in his own right en route to a very decorated career with the US National Team Development Program.

“He’s been unreal at pushing the puck up the ice for us and quarterbacking our team at the blue line,” said teammate Cole Eiserman in a previous interview in MHN. “He’s a great teammate and he’s going to show the world just how good he can be when it matters most.”

However, when you ask Hutson what he’s done to make himself stand out as a top prospect, his attention to detail is what stood out the most.

“I try to make sure I cover my bases, first and foremost, and then take the puck up the ice with speed to produce on the rush,” said Hutson about how his style differs from his brother. “I like the North-South approach on the ice, and I like to carry the puck into the offensive zone to generate offence and find my open teammates.”

For Cole, it was important to create his own identity with the USNTDP as he continued to round out his game and play a more complete style of hockey.

“As a defenceman, defence is a huge part of my game and it’s something I’m very aware I need to improve to get to the pro level,” said Hutson regarding the defensive side of the puck. “It’s one of the main reasons I chose to go to Boston University, because they play such a strong brand of two-way hockey and I want to be able to learn from that and grow.”

It’s no secret that Boston University Head Coach, Jay Pandolfo, knows a thing or two about playing a sound two-way game at the pro level, and Hutson remains very eager to get to work with him as soon as possible.

Record-Breaking

At the start of the season, all eyes were on both Cole Hutson and Cole Eiserman to break scoring records for the US National Team Development Program, with Hutson pegged to break the all-time scoring count for defencemen.

“It was something that was on my mind throughout the season, but it just came naturally when you play with such talented guys around you,” said Hutson regarding the pressure of living up to expectations. “I had to keep my focus on winning and supporting my teammates on the ice. Winning is what you remember the most, scoring records come second and that’s exactly how I approached it all year.”

But, when you say that you’ve outproduced names like Adam Fox, Quinn Hughes, and even his own brother, Lane Hutson, it’s still a big deal. Hutson admitted that, as the final games of the season approached, he did his best to block out all the noise and focus on finishing the season strong.

“By the time the U-18s came around, we all knew it was just a matter of time before the record was broken, but, collectively, the gold medal was all we were thinking about,” said Hutson regarding his laser focus on success rather than individual accolades. “Eventually, I broke the record and we celebrated a little bit on the bench. But, then it was back to business and to winning the game that was in front of us.”

Hutson was finally able to surpass J.D. Forrest, who scored 111 points over three seasons with the USNDP between 1997 and 2000; a record that had stood for the last 24 years. With 119 points over his two years with the Program, Hutson’s new record will likely be around for quite some time before someone else steps up to break it.

However, despite a dominant march to the U-18 World Championship Finals, Hutson and Team USA ultimately fell to the powerhouse Canadian team, headed by Gavin McKenna, in the gold-medal game. It was a bittersweet moment for Hutson, who felt both the rush of triumph and the sadness of failure within a matter of days.

“It wasn’t the result we all wanted or deserved, but I’m proud of those guys – I’d go to war with them,” said Hutson regarding his appreciation for his teammates.”

Onwards and Upwards

The younger Hutson brother now has his focus set on the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft.

He’s experienced the rush of the draft firsthand in Montreal, when his brother was selected 62nd overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens and he’s looking forward to his turn coming up in a few weeks.

“It was insane to see that kind of a reaction from the crowd,” said Hutson regarding his experience in 2022, “To see how passionate and knowledgeable the fans were and how much they instantly embraced Lane was special to see. I look forward to that same feeling.”

But, now for the tough questions.

When asked about his rapport with the Montreal Canadiens, Hutson admitted to having met with their scouting staff and having had a few touchpoints throughout the year.

“I’ve spoken to them a couple of times,” said Hutson. “It would be an unbelievable organization to be a part of. To play in that kind of market and environment where everyone lives and breathes hockey is exactly what you dream of as a kid. You want to be the guy people count on to get you to the top and few cities appreciate that like Montreal, Boston or New York.”

Regardless of where he lands, Cole Hutson plans to take his time and grow his game out in the NCAA for the next couple of seasons. That being said, with the Montreal Canadiens going out of their way to acquire both Xhekaj brothers at last year’s draft under the pretence of “good family values”, selecting Cole with the 26th overall pick wouldn’t be the most outlandish thing they could do with the pick.

That’s assuming that they still have the pick come June 28th.

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