Canadiens Defenceman Hutson Snubbed By USA Hockey

Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson is fresh off one of the best seasons in rookie defenceman history, capped off by a well-deserved Calder Trophy.

On top of helping the Habs qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21, he finished the season with 66 points in the bank, far and away the best production rate from any rookie player in the league.

He was also tied for the sixth most point among all NHL defencemen, alongside former Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman.

Simply put, he didn’t have the best year compared to every single blue liner in the league, but he quickly established himself as a top defenceman, rather than just a talented rookie.

And yet, Team USA opted to snub the talented defenceman, as he was not among the 44 players invited to the Team USA Olympic Camp Orientation. Canadiens sniper Cole Caufield was included in the list.

Introducing the 44 players who will attend the U.S. Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp 🇺🇸

Details: https://t.co/lWC0ZT1AJc pic.twitter.com/16FT49FRgP

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) August 19, 2025

We don’t want to give the impression that Hutson deserved a spot over some of the highly-touted veterans on the list. Quinn Hughes and Adam Fox are recent Norris Trophy Winners, while the rest of the invited players have a lot more professional experience than Hutson.

That being said, it seems a little silly not to include one of the best up-and-comers, a player who is likely to earn a roster with Team USA at the next Olympics.

He outscored most of the invited defencemen, and he already has ample experience playing for Team USA at international tournaments, including when he was named to the Under-18 All-Star Team, as well as the Under-20 All-Star Team. He also helped Team USA earn a gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship.

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Finally, if we focus on the games that were not played alongside David Savard in the NHL, Hutson’s underlying numbers point to a player who had no issue playing defence in the NHL.

The snub is not the end of the world by any means, and it may serve as a motivational factor next season, as well as a chance to catch his breath in the midst of a busy season, but there’s no question it was a curious decision by the Americans.