Player Discussion Lane Hutson Part 2

Estimated_Prophet

Registered User
Mar 28, 2003
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That’s a safe projection based on his play thus far, most likely more in line with his floor.

From what we’ve seen thus far, he could likely step into our PP#1 now and make a huge difference just with his IQ, passing and overall lateral ability to deke out players.

There’s no doubt he needs to bulk up and improve defensive play and backwards skating if he’s going to be a Top-4 D man that can be trusted to play minutes in his own zone.

He got burned multiple times at the WJC's overhandling the puck at the point. He would need time to adjust to the speed of the game and the lack of time and space. The kid is super smart and will make the adjustments, especially when he gains some strength and a little explosiveness.

He would be the worst defender in the NHL by a mile if he tried to play right now but he has plenty of time. I would say my projection is far from safe but instead quite realistic as I think he plays in the NHL but I have very serious doubts that he plays tough ES minutes or on the PK. Expecting more than what I laid out is where things start unravelling and the conversation takes a silly turn. That is not to rule out a higher level of play but to instead, create an expectation, that while a lot of work is needed to get there it is still reasonable given the current information at hand.
 

Habs13

Registered User
Dec 30, 2004
14,672
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Montreal
Hopefully he trains like a madman and concentrates on his back skating this summer. He seems like an uber determined kid and much of his back skating issue may very well be related to the fact that he has twigs for legs. It would be so great to see him show up in the fall with significant gains in these areas. I can't imagine the carnage next year if he comes in more explosive, dynamic and stronger on his skates. His mind and hands are unquestionably elite, let's hope the physical side of his development can begin to take off.
So basically, we should send Marty St. Louis to train with him on leg days! That would be beastly!
 
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Galchenyuk15

Registered User
Jan 2, 2013
170
142
I litterally felt in love with this kid, he can do some magic with the puck and he don't understand yet how more efficient not productive he can become with some growing, experience and maturity.

This guy have something you can't buy; he smarter than everyone when he has the puck on his stick and with time he will become a real pain in the ass because of that. The way he use and/or create opening on the ice are simply phenomenal; this guy seem to plays always at 3vs3 the way he generates offensive with nothing at 5vs5.

I didn't have see a better offensive defenseman with pure skill since Paul Coffey and Phil Housley; two freaking offensive dynamo being smarter than everyone despite their size using all the tools they have to be effective at least offensively for two decades. HM to Dahlin who got some amazing highlights before getting drafted!

I have no issue with his size and I think all the scouts of the world need a freaking kick in the ass to pass on a guy like that for "bad reason". Not the majority of the time but sometime to be "too small" become what make you successful because you take nothing for granted and always ready to do more than others who doesn't have that issue.

Stop drafting for size, the NHL change, you can't built a 5'8 team but focus on the primary instinct, hockey sense and the way the player manage himself on the ice. For example, Arizona manage to trade some picks to advance in the first round to draft Maverick Lamoureux this guy is like 7 feet 200 lbs but limited on hockey point; he got a huge upside but this guy is a project and a reach in hope he devellop well and not in Boris Valabik 2.0 but someone like Hutson, a offensive dynamo, who only need to grow and work on some details of his game drop because he is "too small". We are not in 1980, we play hockey not wrestling anymore; always better too have the size and the skill but god bless try to find a hockey player not a guy with good size in hoping he become one ...

Look how dumb some scout from the Fox draft year; 16 defensemans got drafted before him ...
Olli Juolevi 5th, Mikhail Sergachev 9th, Jake Bean 13th, Charlie McCavoy 14th, Jakob Chychrun 16th, Dante Fabbro 17th, Logan Stanley 18th, Denis Cholowski 20th, Lucas Johansen 28th, Andrew Peeke 34th, Libor Hajek 37th, Chad Krys 45th, Samuel Girard 47th, Ryan Lindgren 49th, Kale Clague 51th, Filip Hronek 53th, Markus Niemelainen 63th and Adam Fox 66th

Logan freaking Stanley before Adam Fox because of his size ... Maybe someday they will understand and they will judge the players on what he can do with the freaking puck before how big the guys his! Remember Mike Komisarek who got drafted 8th overall and can't deke from right to left without losing the puck, handle the puck like a frag grenade all of his careers and creating icing 2 times more he complete a pass, huge like a giant but simply not a hockey player! Another ERA but simply to show how the system is broken, they doesn't try to add hockey players they try to add size ...
 

Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,837
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Texas
I litterally felt in love with this kid, he can do some magic with the puck and he don't understand yet how more efficient not productive he can become with some growing, experience and maturity.

This guy have something you can't buy; he smarter than everyone when he has the puck on his stick and with time he will become a real pain in the ass because of that. The way he use and/or create opening on the ice are simply phenomenal; this guy seem to plays always at 3vs3 the way he generates offensive with nothing at 5vs5.

I didn't have see a better offensive defenseman with pure skill since Paul Coffey and Phil Housley; two freaking offensive dynamo being smarter than everyone despite their size using all the tools they have to be effective at least offensively for two decades. HM to Dahlin who got some amazing highlights before getting drafted!

I have no issue with his size and I think all the scouts of the world need a freaking kick in the ass to pass on a guy like that for "bad reason". Not the majority of the time but sometime to be "too small" become what make you successful because you take nothing for granted and always ready to do more than others who doesn't have that issue.

Stop drafting for size, the NHL change, you can't built a 5'8 team but focus on the primary instinct, hockey sense and the way the player manage himself on the ice. For example, Arizona manage to trade some picks to advance in the first round to draft Maverick Lamoureux this guy is like 7 feet 200 lbs but limited on hockey point; he got a huge upside but this guy is a project and a reach in hope he devellop well and not in Boris Valabik 2.0 but someone like Hutson, a offensive dynamo, who only need to grow and work on some details of his game drop because he is "too small". We are not in 1980, we play hockey not wrestling anymore; always better too have the size and the skill but god bless try to find a hockey player not a guy with good size in hoping he become one ...

Look how dumb some scout from the Fox draft year; 16 defensemans got drafted before him ...
Olli Juolevi 5th, Mikhail Sergachev 9th, Jake Bean 13th, Charlie McCavoy 14th, Jakob Chychrun 16th, Dante Fabbro 17th, Logan Stanley 18th, Denis Cholowski 20th, Lucas Johansen 28th, Andrew Peeke 34th, Libor Hajek 37th, Chad Krys 45th, Samuel Girard 47th, Ryan Lindgren 49th, Kale Clague 51th, Filip Hronek 53th, Markus Niemelainen 63th and Adam Fox 66th

Logan freaking Stanley before Adam Fox because of his size ... Maybe someday they will understand and they will judge the players on what he can do with the freaking puck before how big the guys his! Remember Mike Komisarek who got drafted 8th overall and can't deke from right to left without losing the puck, handle the puck like a frag grenade all of his careers and creating icing 2 times more he complete a pass, huge like a giant but simply not a hockey player! Another ERA but simply to show how the system is broken, they doesn't try to add hockey players they try to add size ...
There is room in this game for dynamic playmaking Dmen. Hutson will become big enough and strong enough to make an impact.
My issue from what I have read is that he needs to improve speed and quickness. I have no doubt that he will.
4 years from now when someone says...let's do a 2022 redraft that Lane Hutson will be seen as top 5 pick of that draft. I can't believe that every team passed on him through 2 rounds. There was no risk and huge reward.
 

Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,837
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Texas
I pray he doesn’t pull an Adam Fox.
That is so rare. It could happen but I expect Lane to turn pro after next season.

Had the Habs or any East Coast team drafted Fox, I suspect it wouldn’t have been an issue.
I don't know...Calgary I think traded his rights to Carolina and he didn't want to play for them either.
 

salbutera

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Sep 10, 2019
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That is so rare. It could happen but I expect Lane to turn pro after next season.


I don't know...Calgary I think traded his rights to Carolina and he didn't want to play for them either.
Should’ve said Northeast team: Mtl, Bos, Tor, NYR, NYI, NJD, Phi, Pit
 
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Scriptor

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Jan 1, 2014
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43 points in 33 games so far and his defensive game is improving. Not like he needs to play defense anyway, he's always generating attack. He's skating faster and stronger than a few months ago. He has also been sighted skating backward recently which is a good ability for a defenseman.
Yeah, learning that skill might come in handy...
 

Scriptor

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Jan 1, 2014
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EP rinkside is trash.

Hutson has below average straight line speed, this is blatantly obvious to real scouts unlike the pasty betas who contribute to these useless sites. Do you think his arms are flailing like they do because he can easily keep up with the play?
It's confusing gauging this skating when you watch Hutson play.

Skating is great, in the end, because he has great edges and can shift directions on a dime. By catching opponents flat-footed through deception, he looks like a gazelle.

His ability to shift directions agin, always on a dime, enables him to evade faster skaters that catch up with him.

What is most impressive regarding Hutson's skating is his stamina that enables him to always be in movement and always from a standstill position as he shifts directions.

Personally, I think his first to steps are explosive, but his first six steps, potentially in three different directions altogether, will leave an opponent in the dust.

The only real defence against Hutson is to either slew-foot him when he has burnt you, or to cross check him in the back, or the head, all illegalities in modern NHL hockey (oh, the golden years where destroying an opponent's livelihood, worry free, was the norm...).

Hutson is a good dasher that uses zone D as a mean to evade defenders when he patrols the entire O-zone with the puck on the end of his stick.

The strength of Hutson when it comes to skating is his ability to know what his strengths and weaknesses re in that department. Beyond that, it's his ability to use his strengths to his advantage.

I have no concerns with Hutson's skating, especially because he is already followed by Nicolas who is currently coaching him on how to improve the traditional aspects of skating, including stance.
 
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Scriptor

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Jan 1, 2014
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I agree with you, but can you imagine his next NCAA season if he does...
Work on legs, for me, took two years, with steady strengthening along the way.

Went from 123 lbs to 145 lbs in just under two years, allowing the lower body to catch up to the upper body in muscle mass (always had the strong upper body with strong shoulders). Grew two inches along the way.

Another year in the NCAA should give him two full offseason to work on leg strength. At his age, that's plenty, IMO, without rushing the process.

I pray he doesn’t pull an Adam Fox.
What muscle is the Adam Fox?
 

Scriptor

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
7,897
4,875
I litterally felt in love with this kid, he can do some magic with the puck and he don't understand yet how more efficient not productive he can become with some growing, experience and maturity.

This guy have something you can't buy; he smarter than everyone when he has the puck on his stick and with time he will become a real pain in the ass because of that. The way he use and/or create opening on the ice are simply phenomenal; this guy seem to plays always at 3vs3 the way he generates offensive with nothing at 5vs5.

I didn't have see a better offensive defenseman with pure skill since Paul Coffey and Phil Housley; two freaking offensive dynamo being smarter than everyone despite their size using all the tools they have to be effective at least offensively for two decades. HM to Dahlin who got some amazing highlights before getting drafted!

I have no issue with his size and I think all the scouts of the world need a freaking kick in the ass to pass on a guy like that for "bad reason". Not the majority of the time but sometime to be "too small" become what make you successful because you take nothing for granted and always ready to do more than others who doesn't have that issue.

Stop drafting for size, the NHL change, you can't built a 5'8 team but focus on the primary instinct, hockey sense and the way the player manage himself on the ice. For example, Arizona manage to trade some picks to advance in the first round to draft Maverick Lamoureux this guy is like 7 feet 200 lbs but limited on hockey point; he got a huge upside but this guy is a project and a reach in hope he devellop well and not in Boris Valabik 2.0 but someone like Hutson, a offensive dynamo, who only need to grow and work on some details of his game drop because he is "too small". We are not in 1980, we play hockey not wrestling anymore; always better too have the size and the skill but god bless try to find a hockey player not a guy with good size in hoping he become one ...

Look how dumb some scout from the Fox draft year; 16 defensemans got drafted before him ...
Olli Juolevi 5th, Mikhail Sergachev 9th, Jake Bean 13th, Charlie McCavoy 14th, Jakob Chychrun 16th, Dante Fabbro 17th, Logan Stanley 18th, Denis Cholowski 20th, Lucas Johansen 28th, Andrew Peeke 34th, Libor Hajek 37th, Chad Krys 45th, Samuel Girard 47th, Ryan Lindgren 49th, Kale Clague 51th, Filip Hronek 53th, Markus Niemelainen 63th and Adam Fox 66th

Logan freaking Stanley before Adam Fox because of his size ... Maybe someday they will understand and they will judge the players on what he can do with the freaking puck before how big the guys his! Remember Mike Komisarek who got drafted 8th overall and can't deke from right to left without losing the puck, handle the puck like a frag grenade all of his careers and creating icing 2 times more he complete a pass, huge like a giant but simply not a hockey player! Another ERA but simply to show how the system is broken, they doesn't try to add hockey players they try to add size ...
You shouldn't be so hard on Komisarek. He was destined to play with Markov as the D partner that would make him look good once he learnt to time his checks properly..
 

Estimated_Prophet

Registered User
Mar 28, 2003
11,125
12,299
It's confusing gauging this skating when you watch Hutson play.

Skating is great, in the end, because he has great edges and can shift directions on a dime. By catching opponents flat-footed through deception, he looks like a gazelle.

His ability to shift directions agin, always on a dime, enables him to evade faster skaters that catch up with him.

What is most impressive regarding Hutson's skating is his stamina that enables him to always be in movement and always from a standstill position as he shifts directions.

Personally, I think his first to steps are explosive, but his first six steps, potentially in three different directions altogether, will leave an opponent in the dust.

The only real defence against Hutson is to either slew-foot him when he has burnt you, or to cross check him in the back, or the head, all illegalities in modern NHL hockey (oh, the golden years where destroying an opponent's livelihood, worry free, was the norm...).

Hutson is a good dasher that uses zone D as a mean to evade defenders when he patrols the entire O-zone with the puck on the end of his stick.

The strength of Hutson when it comes to skating is his ability to know what his strengths and weaknesses re in that department. Beyond that, it's his ability to use his strengths to his advantage.

I have no concerns with Hutson's skating, especially because he is already followed by Nicolas who is currently coaching him on how to improve the traditional aspects of skating, including stance.

He is neither explosive or fast and his backskating is really bad. He is definitely good on his edges but not as great as people are claiming which is part of his issue in pivoting into a backskate. His greatest asset in terms of skating is his mind and knowing when and where to shift his weight.

There is zero power in his legs and I think that is the main issue. I absolutely expect him to make significant gains due to the fact that his legs are so skinny. It may take a few years but imo strength is by far his biggest issue and it is one of the easiest things to gain.

Shorter players often appear to be quicker in small spaces due to the fact that they have the option of taking extra steps where they can explode from whereas taller players don't have the room to extend their stride and end up relying more on reach even though they may be covering more ground but are susceptible to being beat by smaller players who can change direction more quickly while remaining centered over their core. Lane benefits from this but this does not mean that he is more explosive, it is just an advantage that looks to the laymen like a speed advantage. In open ice Lane gets easily beat in both explosiveness and top end speed by most forwards. We saw this really manifest itself at the WJC and is a big reason why his backskating has not developed because his straight ahead speed doesn't allow him enough of a gap to pivot without entirely forfeiting the race.....this is why you see the flailing arms on the backcheck as opposed to more mobile defenders who can get/stay ahead of the attacker and safely pivot.

You also can't put so much stock in Nicolas having super powers to fix skating....the truth is most players have been working with skating coaches for their entire career often with very small to no gains. Nicolas wasn't able to make any difference with Sandin or Robertson in Toronto and he is nothing special as a skating coach, his real value is the way he sees the game and the puck skills and tactics that he teaches. Every slow skater in the league has spent a ton of time trying to fix their stride with the help of the best professionals in the world to little avail. Fortunately I believe that Lane's issue is far more strength related. I had multiple power skating coaches as well as virtually all of my teammates ffs and I never got past midget AAA. Every player that I personally know who has played professional whether it be NHL, Minor Pro or over seas has continued to varying degrees to work on their skating with professional assistance. Skating is like running where you either can or you can not. There are cases of runners who have the genetics to be good but have poor technique and they can be helped but the vast majority can only make tiny improvements or none at all with a running coach. Skating is exactly the same.....
 

Matthew McConaughay

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May 3, 2013
3,074
4,306
He is neither explosive or fast and his backskating is really bad. He is definitely good on his edges but not as great as people are claiming which is part of his issue in pivoting into a backskate. His greatest asset in terms of skating is his mind and knowing when and where to shift his weight.

There is zero power in his legs and I think that is the main issue. I absolutely expect him to make significant gains due to the fact that his legs are so skinny. It may take a few years but imo strength is by far his biggest issue and it is one of the easiest things to gain.

Shorter players often appear to be quicker in small spaces due to the fact that they have the option of taking extra steps where they can explode from whereas taller players don't have the room to extend their stride and end up relying more on reach even though they may be covering more ground but are susceptible to being beat by smaller players who can change direction more quickly while remaining centered over their core. Lane benefits from this but this does not mean that he is more explosive, it is just an advantage that looks to the laymen like a speed advantage. In open ice Lane gets easily beat in both explosiveness and top end speed by most forwards. We saw this really manifest itself at the WJC and is a big reason why his backskating has not developed because his straight ahead speed doesn't allow him enough of a gap to pivot without entirely forfeiting the race.....this is why you see the flailing arms on the backcheck as opposed to more mobile defenders who can get/stay ahead of the attacker and safely pivot.

You also can't put so much stock in Nicolas having super powers to fix skating....the truth is most players have been working with skating coaches for their entire career often with very small to no gains. Nicolas wasn't able to make any difference with Sandin or Robertson in Toronto and he is nothing special as a skating coach, his real value is the way he sees the game and the puck skills and tactics that he teaches. Every slow skater in the league has spent a ton of time trying to fix their stride with the help of the best professionals in the world to little avail. Fortunately I believe that Lane's issue is far more strength related. I had multiple power skating coaches as well as virtually all of my teammates ffs and I never got past midget AAA. Every player that I personally know who has played professional whether it be NHL, Minor Pro or over seas has continued to varying degrees to work on their skating with professional assistance. Skating is like running where you either can or you can not. There are cases of runners who have the genetics to be good but have poor technique and they can be helped but the vast majority can only make tiny improvements or none at all with a running coach. Skating is exactly the same.....
So i guess, his success in the NCCA is just pure luck according to you.
 

Estimated_Prophet

Registered User
Mar 28, 2003
11,125
12,299
So i guess, his success in the NCCA is just pure luck according to you.

Why thank you for that random strawman!

What is wrong with some of you?????

So because he is not a good skater which is a fact......he must be lucky to be successful in college hockey? lol...Am I doing it right?

If you don't have the ability to refute my statement then you just generalize with a huge strawman???
 
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Matthew McConaughay

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May 3, 2013
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Why thank you for that random strawman!

What is wrong with some of you?????

So because he is not a good skater which is a fact......he must be lucky to be successful in college hockey? lol...Am I doing it right?

If you don't have the ability to refute my statement then you just generalize with a huge strawman???
Well, poor this, poor that, the guy must have talent for what he's been doing.
 

Estimated_Prophet

Registered User
Mar 28, 2003
11,125
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Well, poor this, poor that, the guy must have talent for what he's been doing.

And I have been very insistent that he has elite puck skills and elite IQ and is fiercely competitive and determined to improve.....so why do you choose to ignore that?

The new Chris Rock special Selective Outrage outlines exactly what you just did. Am I supposed to mention every one of his good traits in every conversation including the one that you are referring to where we are specifically talking about his skating?

Context is important and you are not even remotely looking for any.
 

Matthew McConaughay

Registered User
May 3, 2013
3,074
4,306
And I have been very insistent that he has elite puck skills and elite IQ and is fiercely competitive and determined to improve.....so why do you choose to ignore that?

The new Chris Rock special Selective Outrage outlines exactly what you just did. Am I supposed to mention every one of his good traits in every conversation including the one that you are referring to where we are specifically talking about his skating?

Context is important and you are not even remotely looking for any.
Okay, but he's not as bad of a skater as you said, he's good enough to succeed with all the other skills he's got.
 

Estimated_Prophet

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Mar 28, 2003
11,125
12,299
Okay, but he's not as bad of a skater as you said, he's good enough to succeed with all the other skills he's got.

That just isn't true, he will fail unless improves his skating as was clearly demonstrated at the WJC's. I am very confident that it will improve and he will be fine but it is well below where it needs to be for him to be successful in the NHL at this point in time
 

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