Player Discussion Lane Hutson Part 2

[Jaynki]

NCAA and WJC are much weaker than the NHL. Again some players can take this step easily because they have the size, the speed and the strenght. Hutson is at a deficit on these three fronts.

Matthew Knies had an advantage on these fronts and he disappoint.

I would say those who are talentend the most will take the step first and foremost.

Hutson is a great advantage there.

Hutson was playing 25+ minutes on a stacked championship USA team at U20 against the best players of his age group in the world. Sweden's forward were not slow or small.

His coach considered him as his most reliable defenseman.

He played in all situations and was on the Ice when the team needed to defend a lead late in the 3rd period.

He played at men WC last spring as a 19 y old and more than held his own against big, grown adults.

He has beaten every challenge he faced so far.

I would not bet against him.

Folks all over the place betted against Slafkovsky up until two months.

Its just not surprising that folks are betting against our prospect with the highest upside again.

Way to get burnt. Dont you dare say something against Roy or Beck tho!

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Matthew Knies had an advantage on these fronts and he disappoint.

I would say those who are talentend the most will take the step first and foremost.

Hutson is a great advantage there.



Folks all over the place betted against Slafkovsky up until two months.

Its just not surprising that folks are betting against our prospect with the highest upside again.

Way to get burnt. Dont you dare say something against Roy or Beck tho!

People presenting both negative and positive takes from Slaf's game were far more objective than the majority of blind pom pom wielding sycophants who view critical analysis as an assault on their object of worship. The former at least can take credit when they are correct in contrast to the latter who are just lucky when they get it right and disappear when they are wrong.

I for one had serious doubts about his IQ and still have some doubts but never claimed that he was not a very good prospect. It would be disingenuous to suggest that there were hordes of people betting that he would fail on this board (if that is indeed what you are inferring)......perhaps on the main boards but that is just tribal chest pounding and is entirely bereft of merit or credibility.

Acting like anyone who bet on the right horse is a superior evaluator of talent is as pompous and arrogant as it gets as luck plays an enormous role in every fan selection as fans only have a fraction of the necessary information to make a truly informed selection. Why not hang outside the local convenience store with a winning scratch ticket and ridicule those who leave after scratching loser cards lol.....that is pretty much what is happening here.

 

[jfm133]

The problem with Slaf is that he was not ready last year and in the first 20 games this year and he got lucky to avoid a serious head injury. That had nothing to do with his potential. They rushed him and to his credit he overcame that bad decision made by management.

 

[ryan callahan]

He will turn 20 in four days. He will never be heavier than 170 lbs at best. More likely to be like Jared Spurgeon, stuck around 165 lbs. Some individual are genetically unable to add weight. Look at Aleksi Heponiemi, 5'10 and at 25 now he is stuck at 155 lbs, cannot add more and left the AHL last summer for the Swiss league. He was a two points per game in his D+1 year in the WHL, second round pick because he was so light, ans he never overcame the weakness. Lane's brother, Quinn, two years older is taller at 5'11 and weighs 170 lbs.



Caufield is a winger with decent speed, very different to be a D with limited speed. A D cannot hide.

Yikes. Hutson is a much better skater than Caufield ever will be. Bad take.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

The problem with Slaf is that he was not ready last year and in the first 20 games this year and he got lucky to avoid a serious head injury. That had nothing to do with his potential. They rushed him and to his credit he overcame that bad decision made by management.

I agree that Laval was probably a better place for him to start but it appears to be working out and who knows how much that had to do with last year's lessons at the NHL level. All I know for sure is that I don't know very much but it does feel like they may have rolled the dice a little too aggressively by exposing him to the biggest, strongest and fastest players on the planet.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

The problem with Slaf is that he was not ready last year and in the first 20 games this year and he got lucky to avoid a serious head injury. That had nothing to do with his potential. They rushed him and to his credit he overcame that bad decision made by management.

Being in the AHL would not protect him from head injuries. He would likely have been more of a target. What plug is going to pass up chance to hammer a #1 overall pick. Even though the players are slower if he lacked awareness they would still catch him.

 

[1909]

Being in the AHL would not protect him from head injuries. He would likely have been more of a target. What plug is going to pass up chance to hammer a #1 overall pick. Even though the players are slower if he lacked awareness they would still catch him.

Ther is lots of young players at AHL level nowadays and they are doing rather well. Smallish guy like Stankoven is leading in points. ex potential #1 pick Wright is not bullied. Jiricek, Nemec and Kulich were 18 last season when they started. Slaf could had follow the same path.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

He's been dealing with that all his life, he just very rarely puts himself into positions where he can be hit.

If Adam Fox and Kris Letang can find a way to survive, so can Lane. He's not criminally small anymore he's just small.

This is extra small. Slight framed and 160 lbs projects for a little gain. He doesn’t have fox or letangs frame. Those guys were a good 20 lbs more lean. There is only Spurgeon and perhaps another playing at that size in the NhL regularly I think.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This is extra small. Slight framed and 160 lbs projects for a little gain. He doesn’t have fox or letangs frame. Those guys were a good 20 lbs more lean. There is only Spurgeon and perhaps another playing at that size in the NhL regularly I think.

He’ll put on weight before he plays in the NHL. He’s grown a few inches in the past couple of years and that’s going to make him thinner. He’ll bulk up as he gets older.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He's special, he will figure it out.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

He's special, he will figure it out.

There is undeniably something special and unique about him, I would pull up short of saying that he will figure it out but I also would balk at saying he won't. It will be interesting and entertaining for better or for worse and this board will be torn from the crazies at the polar ends of the discussion.

He has always been a longer term project to me so I will remain reasonable in my outlook and expectations.

 

[Miller Time]

He's special, he will figure it out.

Yup.

The skill is quite visible, but the work ethic & drive is perhaps all the more impressive the more we hear about it.

The way some ignore these aspects in anchoring their skepticism about his ability to translate his impact to the NHL because of (overstated) "deficiencies" reminds me of another 2nd Rd pick dman who had his share of vocal doubters long after it was very apparent that future all-star (& eventually Norris) level of play was in his bright future...

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Ther is lots of young players at AHL level nowadays and they are doing rather well. Smallish guy like Stankoven is leading in points. ex potential #1 pick Wright is not bullied. Jiricek, Nemec and Kulich were 18 last season when they started. Slaf could had follow the same path.

And they all were probably more aware of players coming at them. Slaf may have not bothered because of his size but he needed to learn that and he has.

 

[BenchBrawl]

He could get us a nice blue chip forward prospect/young player in a trade.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Ther is lots of young players at AHL level nowadays and they are doing rather well. Smallish guy like Stankoven is leading in points. ex potential #1 pick Wright is not bullied. Jiricek, Nemec and Kulich were 18 last season when they started. Slaf could had follow the same path.

The fan narrative that the AHL is more physical and inherently more dangerous than the NHL isn't quite flat earth territory but it is closer than some might think. NHLers are bigger, faster and stronger than AHLers and there is less time to react when you are in the cross-hairs....there is no reasonable debate to be had. The NHL game unfolds faster than the AHL game and it requires experience and IQ to be able to make the correct hockey reads while also keeping your head on a swivel to prevent it getting knocked off.

Fans confuse the AHL's reputation for having more fights with physicality. Both league's are very physical relative to every other top pro league but the NHL has the biggest, baddest and fastest meat missiles in the world and it isn't very close.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He could get us a nice blue chip forward prospect/young player in a trade.

So could Slafkovsky. That doesn’t mean I want to trade him.

 

[BenchBrawl]

So could Slafkovsky. That doesn’t mean I want to trade him.

Slafkovsky is already delivering at the NHL level. There is no risk attached to him.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Slafkovsky is already delivering at the NHL level. There is no risk attached to him.

There’s always a risk in trading away great prospects.

No thanks.

 

[BenchBrawl]

There’s always a risk in trading away great prospects.

No thanks.

Hutson's risk is much higher than the others.

No one ever answered me this simple question: Name me a single successful offensive defenseman at the NHL level who was as lightweight as Hutson? I mean, ever. Relative to the rest of the league.

There's always a first for everything, but if we can get great value for him, why be us taking this chance?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Hutson's risk is much higher than the others.

No one ever answered me this simple question: Name me a single successful offensive defenseman at the NHL level who was as lightweight as Hutson?

Tons of guys are lightweights before making the NHL. He’s going to put on weight.

Hutson’s 5’10 and will likely be around 180lbs playing weight. That would put him right around Quinn Hughes.

Unless it’s something ridiculous you don’t trade this guy.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Tons of guys are lightweights before making the NHL. He’s going to put on weight.

Hutson’s 5’10 and will likely be around 180lbs playing weight. That would put him right around Quinn Hughes.

Unless it’s something ridiculous you don’t trade this guy.

Hutson's frame is lightweight, it's not just about the weight, but the bone structure. He doesn't have a strong "coffre", and will never have.

Quinn Hughes is like his physical upside, and Quinn Hughes is really small, and a better skater.

All the thin guys who succeeded in the NHL were great skaters. Especially defensemen.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Hutson's frame is lightweight, it's not just about the weight, but the bone structure. He doesn't have a strong "coffre", and will never have.

He’ll be 180. He’s around 160 now and is a beanpole because his body has still beengrowing. 20 lbs will be easily put on in the next couple of years - unless he’s still growing in which case he’ll remain skinny a bit longer.

You asked, I gave you the answer. 180lbs is what his NHL weight will be. 5’10 180 is was Quinn Hughes is listed at. That’s around where Hutson will be.

 

[BenchBrawl]

He’ll be 180. He’s around 160 now and is a beanpole because his body is still growing. 20 lbs will be easily put on in the next couple of years - unless he’s still growing in which case he’ll remain skinny a bit longer.

You asked, I gave you the answer. 180lbs is what his NHL weight will be. 5’10 180 is was Quinn Hughes is listed at. That’s around where Hutson will be.

True, you answered me. Alright, now name me a single one who wasn't a great skater? Hutson has great edgework but he's not super fast/explosive.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

True, you answered me. Alright, now name me a single one who wasn't a great skater? Hutson has great edgework but he's not super fast/explosive.

He doesn’t have to be. Hes deceptive and as you said his edging is awesome. Yeah, he’ll have deficiencies - name a player who doesn’t.

His talent is too great not to at least try to develop here. I’m not saying he’s a blue chip superstar but the potential is there. You don’t give up on that.

 

[BenchBrawl]

He doesn’t have to be. Hes deceptive and as you said his edging is awesome.

Yeah, he’ll have deficiencies - name a player who doesn’t.

What I'm getting at here, is who, in history, is Lane Hutson's model? I can't think of a single successful player like him at the NHL level in the history of the game. Probably plenty in lower leagues though.

Will Hutson be the first? Maybe