Prospect Info: Lane Hutson Part 2

[Lafleurs Guy]

I get guys are excited but holy over the top batman.

I've been bullish on him for a long time. Some have been really skeptical. There's absolutely zero wrong about being excited about what he did last night.

He looked a lot like Subban did when he first came up.

It's okay to be excited man.

 

[Gustave]

Do you think that he can reach the level of Quinn Hughes?

With his 2 games, I see similar style of Hughes for sure.

It’s such a high bar man….
I mean he’s exciting and electric but to go after comparables like that is just setting up to be disappointed, instead of just being stoked like we are but without the necessity of comparing him to a perennial all star and Norris candidate. It’s just too soon

 

[windycity]

We all have PTSD but we're allowed good things and Hutson will be a great thing

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It’s such a high bar man….
I mean he’s exciting and electric but to go after comparables like that is just setting up to be disappointed, instead of just being stoked like we are but without the necessity of comparing him to a perennial all star and Norris candidate. It’s just too soon

Agreed.

And he doesn't need to be that good to be awesome. Even if he's Adam Fox lite, should we not be excited?

 

[Goalfield22]

I've been bullish on him for a long time. Some have been really skeptical. There's absolutely zero wrong about being excited about what he did last night.

He looked a lot like Subban did when he first came up.

It's okay to be excited man.

Despite my apprehension on him going to AHL/NHL right away, I always thought of him being a 1st round talent in a redraft. He looks top 10 now, IMO. His skating is way better than advertised. People, like me, really needed to see him on NHL ice to get a good perspective on the player. I think it is both excitement and relief for a lot of us. It's rare we get to have nice things.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Despite my apprehension on him going to AHL/NHL right away, I always thought of him being a 1st round talent in a redraft. He looks top 10 now, IMO. His skating is way better than advertised. People, like me, really needed to see him on NHL ice to get a good perspective on the player. I think it is both excitement and relief for a lot of us. It's rare we get to have nice things.

I think he cracks the top ten in a redraft if it were held today.

 

[Gustave]

Agreed.

And he doesn't need to be that good to be awesome. Even if he's Adam Fox lite, should we not be excited?

Yup, that’s it. Does he HAVE to become as good as those two? Hell no. Drafting Lane was a house money bet that turned out to be a godsend for what this franchise needed.

For the rest, you can see how big our future D corps will be. I don’t need LH to be anything other than his usual self with the puck on his stick, to breakout of the zone and play 2min a PP. for the rest, we have the soldiers for the assignments, the PK and the big minutes.

 

[danisonfire]

Just like I predicted he is a little waterbug on skates that will be elite at getting pucks through to the net. His agility sets him apart. He sees the game at a high level with his head up.

Go watch the slafkovsky goal from last game in slow motion. Watch Hutson shifting side to side at the point. Then watch it again and compare his shifting to the position of the shot blocker on the other team. He shifted back and forth until the lane (lol) was clear to the net. Each time it was covered he repeated shifting. When the lane was open he released his shot.

This is a high high level mind for the game. When he throws his head left as he explodes right. This is a high IQ play. He is using physics and mind games against his opponents as he is trying to temporarily disrupt their momentum in the wrong direction from where he wants to move. This is a bright boy. Smart af. Lane if you ever read this just keep working as hard as you can. You are on the right path for modern NHL success. Never settle, be your best.

 

[Tyson]

Does Lane Hutson get the call to join Team USA at the World Championships?

Brett Kulak landed us Lane Hutson

 

[tooji]

Does Lane Hutson get the call to join Team USA at the World Championships?

Brett Kulak landed us Lane Hutson

He already played in it last year, so I would be surprised if he doesn’t return.

 

[larek]

Are you really surprised? Many posters here are all about extremes. Heroes or zeroes, nothing in-between. It's all fun for now though... let people have their emotional reaction, but when next season starts, it will be time to have more rational expectations (which I don't expect for many).

I expect Hutson will have a good long career in the NHL --

 

[WeThreeKings]

The only dangers of getting excited for Lane Hutson is if you turn toxic if he doesn't meet your expectations.

Life is too short to not let yourself get caught in the moment when something fun happens.

What's the downside, some cantankerous score taker is gonna quote me a year later and say Lane actually isn't any good? Who cares.

 

[themilosh]

These comparisons to insignificant small one dimensional defenders are just so lazy and off. Let me know if Torry Krug or MAB looked like NHL stars playing 20+ minutes a night in their first NHL games.

The last D that had that type of visual impact first game that I can remember is Miro Heiskanen.

I think PK came on strong like Hutson.

I personally like the idea of Reinbacher playing with Guhle, I don't think there's a player in the system (other than Savard) who really fits with Hutson

Maybe we draft Silayev then? Play a 1-2-2 system.

 

[salbutera]

I can only imagine how much hatred Michel Therrien would have had for the kid.

It’s not Therrien, it’s that entire generation of Jacques Lemaire disciples who were taught the best offense is a great defense.

Hutson would’ve never been given an NHL contract by any team as recently as 12-years ago …. the game started changing dramatically about 8-years ago

If anyone paid close attention to how Hutson played in these two games… he played rover, as I’ve maintained it will be fascinating to see how MSL game plans around Hutson’s rover style

 

[Rozz]

The only dangers of getting excited for Lane Hutson is if you turn toxic if he doesn't meet your expectations.

Life is too short to not let yourself get caught in the moment when something fun happens.

What's the downside, some cantankerous score taker is gonna quote me a year later and say Lane actually isn't any good? Who cares.

that happens Waaaaaayyyyy to much!

it's fine to set expectations and even feel disappointment if they are not met... but a whole other thing when someone sets these expectations high with no understanding or acceptance of the variables that can affect point totals... then act like not reach X number of points or goals is the final nail in the players coffin, and is the end all be all... and any one who doesn't agree is a moron or whatever

then its a whole other bag when they beat their drum and shout it on every thread and board trying to make others see it exactly like they do.

 

[Canadiens98]

I think PK came on strong like Hutson.


Maybe we draft Silayev then? Play a 1-2-2 system.

The only way I see us drafting a D is if we make a big trade involving one of our current D's

 

[calder candidate]

Surprised he was able play as well as he did without having to change is game also I he seem to have easily won most of is battle for the puck which is impressive.

 

[JoelWarlord]

These comparisons to insignificant small one dimensional defenders are just so lazy and off. Let me know if Torry Krug or MAB looked like NHL stars playing 20+ minutes a night in their first NHL games.

Torey Krug and Marc-Andre Bergeron are two pretty different players, I would never compare Hutson to MAB. I don't mean to insult Hutson at all when I say I view Torey Krug as a comparable. Krug was never a defensive stalwart and he's fallen off in his 30s, but he was far from a one dimensional guy at his peak, he developed into a really solid #2D for the Bruins and brought a ton of value on the PP.

If Hutson makes the Habs next year (and IMO he will) he'll be starting his career 2 years younger than Krug did) and that's a very positive sign in a direct 1 to 1 comparison, but I don't think it's insulting to suggest he could peak as a very strong #2D that runs an elite PP1 unit. He absolutely has the skill and the brain to become something even more than that and I certainly would not say Krug is his ceiling, more that I see that level (very good #2D and PP1 QB) as roughly the median outcome for him.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Just like I predicted he is a little waterbug on skates that will be elite at getting pucks through to the net. His agility sets him apart. He sees the game at a high level with his head up.

Go watch the slafkovsky goal from last game in slow motion. Watch Hutson shifting side to side at the point. Then watch it again and compare his shifting to the position of the shot blocker on the other team. He shifted back and forth until the lane (lol) was clear to the net. Each time it was covered he repeated shifting. When the lane was open he released his shot.

This is a high high level mind for the game. When he throws his head left as he explodes right. This is a high IQ play. He is using physics and mind games against his opponents as he is trying to temporarily disrupt their momentum in the wrong direction from where he wants to move. This is a bright boy. Smart af. Lane if you ever read this just keep working as hard as you can. You are on the right path for modern NHL success. Never settle, be your best.

That's why I did not understand why some people did not think his shimmies would work in the nhl. The moves he does aren't random flashy moves. They serve a purpose. The reason why there aren't more nhl players doing it is not because it doesn't work, its because they don't have the brain and talent to do it. The moves Hutson does are extremely hard to pull off. With Hutson its just second nature.

 

[yianik]

The big concern for me was always going to be whether his moves on the blueline would work at the NHL level and he literally got an assist on one of his first shifts doing that.. and even in game 2, when Detroit had a chance to see what he could do, he still was able to create many chances with it, including the 4th goal on the Slaf tip where a seasoned Detroit forward literally said 'f*** this, I'm hanging back' and still got exposed.

Lol I actually laughed when Hutson did his dipsy doodling and Perron was like, F##k No, not going to be a highlight reel play for this 2nd game rookie, and scrambled back 6-7 feet. I mean no doubt Perron actually thought that when Hutson did his moves. Perron enough of a vet to avoid getting his ankles broken.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Lol I actually laughed when Hutson did his dipsy doodling and Perron was like, F##k No, not going to be a highlight reel play for this 2nd game rookie, and scrambled back 6-7 feet. I mean no doubt Perron actually thought that when Hutson did his moves. Perron enough of a vet to avoid getting his ankles broken.

and then Lane was like, cool, here's a perfect tip shot for Slaf.

So much fun.

 

[The Last Red]

He's not playing in the AHL next season (other than maybe a few games here and there).

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

He already played in it last year, so I would be surprised if he doesn’t return.

Unlikely he makes it this year. The US team have had several big name players accept their invitation.

 

[yianik]

and then Lane was like, cool, here's a perfect tip shot for Slaf.

So much fun.

It was great.

That's a type of player we have been missing. The best in the last few decades was Kovalev. A guy who has moves so that a defender can either stand toe to toe, in which case our boy has the skill to go around him, or the defender declines to challenge and drops back, allowing a shot on net. Kovalev lived off of this in the circle. Electrifying.

Burrows should be told hands off Hutson, not a word. Our PP is going to improve I think.

 

[Trabdy2]

Hutson is certainly electrifying out there and his performance surpassed my expectations by a fair margin. It is so refreshing to see a player create offense organically like he can, and he's not a complete liability on defence. His passing is top-notch, he finds ways to get his shot through to the net, and he seems to find it easy to create space for himself and teammates with his agile skating and puck handling. Off puck in the O zone, he has a high level of awareness to give the puck carrier passing options to make a play.

I don't ever expect him to be a defensive stalwart, but I think he can develop into a player who can hold is own without the puck in the d-zone. I think teams will be more focused on how to neutralize his offensive threat than how to exploit him defensively.

It will be interesting to see how teams choose to deal with the threat he brings on virtually every shift. It will be equally interesting to see how Hutson adjusts and responds when teams start keying in on him.