Here is Why Hutson Won’t Have A Sophomore Slump

McGuire explained that most players who go through a sophomore slump are the ones who don’t work as hard to improve their game and sit back on their successful rookie season. However, with Hutson, that is far from the case, as he spent his summer working on improving his weaknesses, like his shot and continued skating every day throughout the summer. He also helped run a hockey clinic, helping kids improve on their skills in the process.

This is why McGuire thinks Hutson could at least have a similar season offensively, if not better, during his second season. Hutson is a rinkrat who has the mentality that he wants to be the best. Therefore, he will never be satisfied with his overall game even after a record-breaking season, so he will continue to put in all the work to become better.

Hutson seems to also have the right mentality of what it takes to be a star in the NHL, by putting in the work at all times. What McGuire says about the sophomore slump makes a lot of sense when you look at most of the best players in the league. For example, star players like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid never had their own sophomore slumps, and they are known to be rink rats who work their tails off at all times as well.

Skill is important, but hard work is worth at least 90% of what it takes to be a star player at the end of the day. Sometimes it may take a little time for a player to get that work ethic in order, but if they have the right amount of skill mixed with the right work ethic, they will eventually get to be that star player.

Due to Hutson’s size, he has had to work harder than everyone to prove to the people who doubted him throughout his career. The fact that he’s already broken out as a star offensive defenseman with the right work ethic, where he’s continuing to maintain his best attributes while improving on his weaknesses, makes it easier to see him at the very least put up similar numbers.

Although due to his work on his shot throughout the summer, he should definitely be able to improve on the 6 goals that he scored last season. As for the 60 assists from last year, that may be hard to surpass, but if anyone can do it, it would be Hutson.

McGuire seems to think he will be able to improve in that department, considering there will be more offensive talent that Hutson can work with. It is possible that he can get as many as 75 points by playing the top power-play unit all season long.

We will see if Hutson’s hard work can defeat the narrative that he may have a sophomore slump, but the historical trend with guys who work as hard as him is that they will be able to adapt to the way other teams form game plans around them.

Do you agree with Pierre McGuire that Lane Hutson won’t have to worry about going through a sophomore slump?