Lane Hutson is a Difference Maker for the Montreal Canadiens

There is something special about this player. As Pierre McGuire said with Jimmy Murphy on Sick Podcast Eye-Test and other various outlets, “Lane Hutson brings an NHL skill level to your team. He brought a ready-made NHL skill level. Could he defend in the NHL? That was another story, but he could bring it offensively.”

Montreal Canadiens: NHL Rumors: Canadiens GM Kent Hughes Will Shop For A Center This Offseason

Seattle Kraken: Could the Seattle Kraken Make A GM Change at the End of the Season?

Philadelphia Flyers: John Tortorella Has No One To Blame But Himself

Like most rookies and young defensemen in the NHL, it takes time to develop in the league. Not everyone is Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, Nick Lidstrom, or Victor Hedman. However, his work ethic, where he wants to be on the ice every day honing his game, is a winner’s mindset. But Hutson is transforming before everyone’s eyes into an elite franchise player who is changing the game.

I think he picks a spot better and everyone knows how good he is with the puck, and the league adapts quick and I think towards maybe his 20th game of the year, teams kind of maybe saw what he could do and maybe weren’t as aggressive on them as they were at the start.

And he moves the puck so well. He makes more plays and still dances when he can dance, and it’s just that he picks his spots a lot better. And, I mean, he looks great. He helps the team out a lot when he does that, and I think his defensive game, too, has gotten a lot better. It’s not that it was actually ever bad at all. Like, I didn’t really know much about his defensive game, but he’s just so smart. It’s fun to watch.- Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle following the game on Sunday against the Florida Panthers.

He will take the Canadiens into the playoffs every night, which is why there is something special about having the Canadiens in the playoffs. Springtime in Montreal is a different animal. That is why Hutson is being compared to Makar and Hughes. And dare we say legendary defenseman for the New Jersey Devils and Hockey Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer.

 Again, the knock against Hutson was his size, but what he brings with his speed and skill with the puck is unmatched. You see him take the power away from his opponents each night, similar to what Hughes and Makar do by using his stick and feet to defend and not being overwhelmed by guys who are bigger than him.

“Hutson defends with his feet and defends with his stick,” McGuire said on TSN Radio in Montreal. “Some guys just defend with their feet, but don’t utilize their stick very well. Some guys defend really well with their stick, but they’re not very good with their feet. This guy’s good with both. So it takes away some of that size factor that some people could overwhelm him with.  It’s really such a strong component to his game, the ability of his game to separate people from the puck who are bigger than him. It’s amazing to watch.”

Lane Hutson dominates every night when he is on the ice. There is a reason why he is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year. He might have just won it.

However, if the Canadiens make the playoffs, it will be because of Lane Hutson. With the way the Bell Centre looks and sounds in springtime, everyone wants to see Montreal in the playoffs. There is something special brewing in Montreal with this young core, as they have done things the right way.

Everything changed when Hutson was brought into the fold. The Canadiens are just a different team with a difference-maker on defense in Lane Hutson.