Player Discussion Lane Hutson Part 2

admiralcadillac

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Oct 22, 2017
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after watching todays game and seeing clips here and there if Hutson I am inclined to agree that his skating is sub-par. Maybe even atrociously deficient.

There is not questions his IQ can make plays happen. If he doesn’t put on 30-40 pounds and learn to skate backwards.. he’s never having a that wonderful uplifting careers some here are so optimistic about.

It’s interesting no one who is actually involved in hockey seems to see him or his skating the same way.
 

Gillings

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Jan 19, 2013
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It’s interesting no one who is actually involved in hockey seems to see him or his skating the same way.
I think there are times that his ability to play hockey makes his weaknesses less noticeable. But his inability to skate or possess the natural skating ability most successful.nhl players posses is concerning.
 

admiralcadillac

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Oct 22, 2017
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I think there are times that his ability to play hockey makes his weaknesses less noticeable. But his inability to skate or possess the natural skating ability most successful.nhl players posses is concerning.
Well he’s currently playing against guys who are nhlers to be. We’ll see.
 

FLHabs

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Feb 18, 2017
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I might be wrong, but I think Hutson's biggest issue with his skating is generating power rather than technical skating ability. He got great edges, he wouldn't be able to play his game if he didn't, but you can really tell he gives it his all when he's skating in one direction.

He's definitely not the smoothest/effortless looking skater out there, but if his bone years are like 2 years younger, maybe it's the same for his muscle mass hehe.

I hope Habs fans and management will be really patient with him
 

Lafleurs Guy

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after watching todays game and seeing clips here and there if Hutson I am inclined to agree that his skating is sub-par. Maybe even atrociously deficient.

There is not questions his IQ can make plays happen. If he doesn’t put on 30-40 pounds and learn to skate backwards.. he’s never having a that wonderful uplifting careers some here are so optimistic about.
I don’t agree.

Today was a very ‘meh’ game from him but he’s looked incredible in college and dusted Canada the other day. Still super excited about this guy.

He definitely needs more muscle before jumping to the NHL - agree with you there.
 

Naslundforever

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Aug 21, 2015
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I don’t agree.

Today was a very ‘meh’ game from him but he’s looked incredible in college and dusted Canada the other day. Still super excited about this guy.

He definitely needs more muscle before jumping to the NHL - agree with you there.
Looks like a horrible skater too in college to me beyond the dangles; no-one seems to pressure the def on pk and he looks amazing there on a great team. I 100% want to see him try a few games with the habs at the end of the year and fully expect a complete train wreck followed by tons of ahl and muscle building.
 

Adam Michaels

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Jun 12, 2016
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after watching todays game and seeing clips here and there if Hutson I am inclined to agree that his skating is sub-par. Maybe even atrociously deficient.

There is not questions his IQ can make plays happen. If he doesn’t put on 30-40 pounds and learn to skate backwards.. he’s never having a that wonderful uplifting careers some here are so optimistic about.

30-40 lbs? Come on, man. There is no way this kid will even crack 190, you want him to be around 200? BU and USA Hockey list him at 5'10" and 162 lbs. When he was drafted in 2022, he was listed at 5'8" and 148 lbs. We should be happy if he gets to 180.

His skating is definitely the area of his game he needs to improve the most. But I don't think it's bad enough to the point it's detrimental to his game. I don't recall him getting burned because his skating is sub par. His IQ is high enough to where he makes up for that. He's smart with his stick and his angles.

I also think that when he does turn pro, Adam Nicholas will work with him on his skating. He worked with Justin Barron when he was acquired, and Barron is a much smoother skater than Hutson to begin with. But they still felt Barron had to work on certain things. So I imagine they will work with Hutson on that.

It might take him a while to get away with the things he gets away with in college. But I think once he gets more comfortable playing pro, he will be able to pull off the things he's currently pulling off.
 

jfm133

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Nov 6, 2015
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I don't think so if the Habs are clearly explaining him why they want him to play one more year in the NCAA. Also, if he wants to play hardball with the Habs, he will have to play two more years in the NCAA. But I don't think it will come down to that. Hutson himself said that he is open to the possibility of playing a third year in college, but that they will reassess where he is as a player at the end of the year. The surprising thing in this story is Kent Hughes saying that he wants to sign Hutson at the end of his college season. I have a hard time with this one. We saw it with Slaf, with hyped players he is like a boy wanting to open the box of his new toy as soon as possible.

First, he is not ready for the NHL and not ready to play ahead of Guhle, Matheson, Struble, Harris and Xhekaj, and probably Trudeau and Norlinder. If he goes directly to the AHL like Struble did last spring, he will be in for a shock. It's not the league, especially at the end of the season, for a fancy style of play.

Another strange thing for me is that Hughes also said that he was surprised by the quick rise of Struble. This is mind boggling for me. He saw him play with his sons at Northeastern. How is it possible that he did not have a better understanding of how good Struble was and how close to the NHL he was because of his physical strenght and playing style? Hard to understand, and if you add it to the fact that he wants Hutson to turn pro this spring, it makes me wonder what his evaluation criterias for young Ds are.

Then you run the risk that he gets pissed off and doesn't sign with you at all
 

jfm133

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Nov 6, 2015
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If what you say is true, why do you want him to try a few games with the Habs. It's HuGo's job to have the good evaluation of where Hutson is. The muscle bulding needs to be done next year in the NCAA, same for improvements in his skating. Habs have the chance that Hutson is in the NCAA, not the CHL. If four years in the NCAA were good for Harris and Struble, how three years for Hutson would not be mandatory. There is no need to turn pro for him next year. He should do what his best for his career. Lane and his family should ask to stay in the NCAA, like Jordan Harris did. Sometimes players and their family need to be wiser than NHL GMs.

Looks like a horrible skater too in college to me beyond the dangles; no-one seems to pressure the def on pk and he looks amazing there on a great team. I 100% want to see him try a few games with the habs at the end of the year and fully expect a complete train wreck followed by tons of ahl and muscle building.
 

jfm133

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Nov 6, 2015
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Stop please with the Adam Nicolas magic wand thing. Hutson can work with a skating coach after his season ends. The most important thing is the work he will put into improving it and the biological maturity. Hutson looks like he is 17 at best. He needs to become a man before thinking about the NHL. He is very talented but he has obvious weaknesses, and it's mostly related to his lack of physical maturity. Again, Struble was the best at 17 at the Combine on athletic testing, and nonetheless, he played four years in college after that. Why playing three years in the NCAA is not the minimum for Hutson? It should be automatic.

30-40 lbs? Come on, man. There is no way this kid will even crack 190, you want him to be around 200? BU and USA Hockey list him at 5'10" and 162 lbs. When he was drafted in 2022, he was listed at 5'8" and 148 lbs. We should be happy if he gets to 180.

His skating is definitely the area of his game he needs to improve the most. But I don't think it's bad enough to the point it's detrimental to his game. I don't recall him getting burned because his skating is sub par. His IQ is high enough to where he makes up for that. He's smart with his stick and his angles.

I also think that when he does turn pro, Adam Nicholas will work with him on his skating. He worked with Justin Barron when he was acquired, and Barron is a much smoother skater than Hutson to begin with. But they still felt Barron had to work on certain things. So I imagine they will work with Hutson on that.

It might take him a while to get away with the things he gets away with in college. But I think once he gets more comfortable playing pro, he will be able to pull off the things he's currently pulling off.
 
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jfm133

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He was 5'08.25" at the Combine. A year later, this summer, he was meseared at 5'09" at Habs development camp. As you get older growth is slower until it ends. So it is very unlikely that he is 5'10" now. On November 2022, he said to a Radio-Canada journalist that he grew half an inch since the Combine and that he was then at 5'09". But seven months later, at development camp he was still at 5'09". So according to that he did not grow in seven months.

Then on November 1, 2023, a journalist from Journal de Québec said that he spoke with Hutson and that he was then at 5'10". So after not growing for more than seven months he supposedly added an inch four months. I know that in the end one inch won't make the difference for Hutson, but this story is fluctuating strangely as time goes. One thing that seems sure, is that he is still at 160 lbs. That's his main problem as far as I am concerned. He will never be similar to Torey Krug or Francis Bouillon, 5'08" players that were weighing 200 lbs, little tanks.
 

Supersonic

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hopefully management gets him on the power skating and chicken + rice diet this summer

If he comes to camp with improved skating and strength theres no reason why he can’t be a day 1 starter, whether that be as a PP specialist, or elsewise

Edit: conceptually I think it works in his favour that he only has a few things to work on (strength, skating), even if that is a big arm-chair scout take because that is much easier said than done, but him supposedly being a hard worker is quite encouraging
 
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Lafleurs Guy

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Looks like a horrible skater too in college to me beyond the dangles; no-one seems to pressure the def on pk and he looks amazing there on a great team. I 100% want to see him try a few games with the habs at the end of the year and fully expect a complete train wreck followed by tons of ahl and muscle building.
I don’t think he plays in Montreal this year but I guess we’ll see.
 
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417

When the going gets tough...
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Wow can't believe that a 5'8 62nd overall pick isn't a perfect player with no weaknesses, thanks for letting us know guys
Are we doing that that thing where we build up players to unrealistic levels and then when they don't reach those levels we start questionning their legitimacy as prospects?
 
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Wats

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Are we doing that that thing where we build up players to unrealistic levels and then when they don't reach those levels we start questionning their legitimacy as prospects?
It's the only way to go, people wanted him in the NHL at the end of last year. Offense is obviously there, let the kid figure out the defensive side. His instincts are good, just needs to figure out an consistent way to defend.
 

417

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Questionning? You mean dumping on him for not meeting unrealistic expectations. Dumping, insulting, calling names, etc.
I was trying not to lump all of the criticism (some of which may be valid) in the same bag. But you catch my drift.
 

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