AL FREY/for the Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s often said that the draft is not an exact science.

It can sometimes be difficult for a group of scouts to find the hidden talent in a player… And there are many factors that determine the final choice made by said group of scouts.

For example, clubs were afraid to draft Lane Hutson in 2022 because he was too small. The various NHL teams were worried because they didn’t see the little defenseman having a big career in the league, so they passed.

The Habs selected Hutson with the 62nd overall pick in the draft, and today, everyone maintains that he’s a potential bowl.

The young man’s performance at BU has been incredible over the past two years… And while it’s easier to say that today, Stéphane Leroux (RDS) believes that if the draft were redone today, the Habs prospect would hear his name called in the top 10 :

The Habs followed their instincts in drafting a small player with great potential.

These decisions are never easy to make, because draft picks in the first three rounds are important… But it also means that the Habs’ scouting group has done its job.

Only 15 players from the 2022 cohort have played at least one NHL game so far. That said, aside from Slafkovsky and Cooley… None of the other 2022 draft prospects are making the kind of splash that Lane Hutson is.

Experts, Habs fans and the majority of people who follow the game know that the Habs made a good choice, and that’s why everyone is eager to see the defenseman in action in the National League.

In Montreal, the hype surrounding him is exceptional… Because Lane is probably the most exciting prospect we’ve seen since Cole Caufield.

And even then, we’re talking about a distant second-round pick!

In gossip

– Bravo for the initiative.

– Hein!

– Coming up…

– It’s a fine line.

– He’s too strong.

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