As part of the build-up to the first-round playoff series between the Capitals and the Canadiens, we will be looking at some of Montreal’s most important players to know…
Lane Hutson
#48 | D
Height: 5’9” | Weight: 162
Born: February 14, 2004
Birthplace: Holland, MI
Acquired: Drafted by Montreal in the second round (62nd overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft
Scouting Report:
Mobile, undersized defender with strong edgework and exceptionally quick feet. Has all the skill to develop into an effective puck mover at the pro level but his lack of size and strength could hold him back.
Dobber Prospects
The way that the 5-foot-8 blueliner evades opponents with weight shifts, handling moves, and fakes allow him to turn every puck touch into a Grade-A scoring chance, whether he’s the one pulling the trigger or as a setup man.
Elite Prospects 2022 Draft Guide
Why You Should Know Who He Is: Lane Hutson has been one of the biggest bright spots for the Canadiens this season, putting up record point totals as a rookie defenseman – and on a team whose history goes back over a century, that’s nothing to sneeze at. He finished the season with 66 points, third-most on his team and tied for sixth among all NHL defenders; that also put him three points ahead of both Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov, and has to be a favorite for this year’s Calder Trophy. He’s an incredibly talented, slippery, offensively minded defenseman with a high hockey IQ who the Caps will need to keep a close eye on throughout this series, or risk getting seriously burned.
How the Caps Can Stop Him: Hutson is all of the things listed above as an offensive player…but defensively, he’s not nearly as strong. He’s been largely sheltered by the Habs’ coaching staff, with just under 6% of his shift starts in the defensive zone compared to about 32% in the offensive or neutral zones. So how do they stop him? Limiting him offensively will be key, obviously, but that’s a tough ask; instead they’ll need to focus on making him – and whoever is out there with him as his defensive partner – actually play defense, keep them in their own zone and establish a heavy forecheck. For a smaller guy, Hutson’s not necessarily a pushover, but he is teeny when you compare him to a Tom Wilson or a Pierre-Luc Dubois, and they need to make that difference blatantly obvious on every shift.