Montreal Canadiens News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson – (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Canadiens’ Caufield, Hutson Understandably Left Off U.S. Olympic Team

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Ryan Szporer | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 12:45 PM ET

Not to read too much into Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield’s contributions against the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Day, but he picked a coincidental time to notch his first-ever goal against a powerhouse team that has historically given the franchise fits, especially on the road.

It’s simultaneously hyperbolic but still accurate to say the Canadiens don’t beat the Hurricanes 7-5 without Caufield’s 4-4 game-tying goal, especially seeing as defenseman Lane Hutson only sealed the victory with an empty-netter. However, the same is true, arguably to an even larger extent, of Sammy Blais, who got the team on the right track with a goal to stop the bleeding after the Canes had scored four straight to take an at-one-time 4-2 lead. Nevertheless, Blais, all due respect to his largely unforeseen contributions since being reacquired off waivers (and eventually promoted from the minors), simply isn’t as invaluable game-in, game-out as Caufield to the Canadiens.

USA Hockey Snubs Hutson More than Hutson

With Nick Suzuki having been named to the Canadian men’s hockey team for the upcoming Olympics, the hope had been the U.S.A. would follow suit and enable the team’s current first line to reunite in Italy. As it stands, they’ll end up one player short (with Alexandre Texier presumably set to play for France), and, maybe not justifiably, but certainly understandably, as Caufield saw his goal production dry up slightly starting mid-November.

Prior to notching three goals in his last four games, including his tally against the Hurricanes, Caufield had scored five goals in his last 18 games, which is hardly horrible. However, as the U.S. left off Dallas Stars forward (and fellow-winger) Jason Robertson, who has 24 goals (to Caufield’s 20) and 48 points in 41 games, Caufield clearly had to be more than all-world, but other-worldly to make it, despite having made the orientation camp roster months ago.

Ironically, it’s Hutson’s exclusion that is more eye-opening, even after he had been left off the orientation camp roster. It’s hard to say it’s shocking, based on the direction USA Hockey, in the degree to which the country paid respect to the members of 2025 World Championship-winning team, was clearly taking here. However, Hutson co-leads all American-born defensemen in points with 40, tied for second overall in the NHL with Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets (Canada’s Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche leads the field with 45).

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson – (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

So, between Hutson and Caufield, the former had built a better case. In fact, he built a great one. However, in the States’ defense, if you’re also going to leave off a James Norris Memorial Trophy-winning defenseman in Adam Fox, who fits a similar profile as Hutson, you’re purposely taking some kind of stance, right or wrong. As far as anyone can tell, that stance is something along the lines of Quinn Hughes, who had been named to the U.S. preliminary roster meets all their diminutive-puck-moving-defensemen needs, while fellow-lefty Noah Hanifin is more of a fit. Ditto for rightie Seth Jones, with Hutson having spent significant time playing on his off side.

Canadiens Still Well-Represented at Olympics

Just like it’s the Americans’ right to make that call, it is Canadiens’ fans right to disagree. However, similar to with Suzuki, who the facts supported as one of the best Canadian players not having made the preliminary roster and was due to get the nod, how about some perspective: If most Habs fans are going to cheer for Canada, Suzuki, who admittedly could use the time off, was the right pick. If you look at it that way, the U.S. did Canada a huge solid. Plus, with Oliver Kapanen having (somewhat surprisingly) been named to the Finnish team, the Habs will be well-represented in Italy regardless, with four members of their top-six forwards projected to make the trip (Juraj Slafkovsky).

Ultimately, there’s nothing with which (Canadian) Canadiens fans should be too disappointed. In fact, if Hutson did use his initial snubbing off the orientation camp roster as motivation, they should be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see what he has in store for an encore. It’s the rest of the league that is in trouble… not just in the lead-up to the Olympics but for the foreseeable future. The Habs have young, world-class talent throughout. The Hurricanes just found that out firsthand.