Player Discussion Lane Hutson Part 2

[Lafleurs Guy]

Michael Ryder should have won it his rookie year, finished 2nd I believe to Andrew Raycroft

I thought Price might have a shot at it but he only played 41 games. Wound up finishing 5th in the Calder and 9th in Vezina. One of the best save percentages in the league.

Hutson has a good shot and I'm still hopeful that Roy has a good year too.

 

[themilosh]

It would be a waste of Savard's remaining time here not to pair him with Hutson.

Damn.. that really is the perfect rebuttal.. hadnt thought if Savard like that, not to mention could help his stats to get more at the TDL..

 

[Kojo]

Hutson - Savard will be a perfect 2nd pair.

Hutson will be so fun to watch this year, I'm confident that he can put good numbers. Maybe in the range of 5-6 goals and 40-45 assists.

If it's more, that's a huge bonus.

Can't wait to see this gem in 82 games with Habs.

Only 6 goals would be disappointing.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Who said anything about not worrying about defence? I don't know why you keep saying this as if anyone on this board thinks Hutson is going to be some defensive stalwart from day one or has nothing to learn defensively (or that you can't learn defence in the NHL).

AHL time wouldn't inherently be bad for him either but playing in the AHL against plugs is just going to make it easier for a player like Hutson to go Harlem Globetrotters mode. The NHL is faster but Hutson will be small his entire career and he isn't a raw player who has big issues with positional play like Xhekaj and Mailloux did, nor did he miss as much playing time as Mailloux. He's well positioned to learn to defend in the NHL because the other elements of his game are good enough that he can provide value while working on those flaws.

When are we going to learn about how to develop properly? He's played 2 NHL games with very high turnovers/60 and fans are ignoring the huge hurdle for D men when they turn pro. This is all about the boring stuff with Hutson because his offensive game is solid. He will have to learn how to block guys in front of the net, reduce time and space, closing gaps, dealing with bigger/fast/physical players.

There will be a substantial adjustment for him to make. Not many undersized guys on D are able to jump in right away and survive at the NHL level. If he does, he might be a star.

I'm staying on the lower side of the hype and I think it's a safe place to be.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Apart from being undersized I don't think he will have defensive issues, he's much too smart.

His turnovers/60 were very high in those 2 NHL games. Coaches will target him with their strategy (especially big games on the road).

He's got loads of potential and appears to be very smart yes. However, this is the NHL... the best hockey league in the world and those forwards are going to catch him and out muscle him.

Hutson will have up/downs and personally, He's only making my NHL roster if he shows ability to be effective on D. I rather not yo/yo him from NHL/AHL and back/forth in his 1st pro season. That is not good development IMO.

 

[WeThreeKings]

You think Harris is as smart and poised as they come?? I like Harris but he's not a play driver, he's not a creator, he brings nothing if he cannot be good defensively, that's why his size is an issue. Hutson's IQ is much higher, he's an absolute wizard compared to Harris, he'll be running a power play and be a point producer from the back. I don't think his size will be that big of an issue as some might think. There have been quite a few small NHL defensemen with successful careers.

I had very low expectations until I saw those two games he played at the end of last season. It's all I needed now I'm a believer lol. It didn't take long for Wings players to already start backing off him after a few shifts because he made them look stupid a couple of times.

When have you ever seen Harris make a mistake under pressure? Harris is as smart and poised as they come.. that doesn't mean the upside is anything near Hutson, but people underrate Harris' traits.

 

[26Mats]

Many times, and it’s when he’s under pressure that he folds the most. He coughs up the puck regularly and is often stripped by opposing players due to how soft and nonchalant he is. Physical play is anathema to him, and he hates being hit.

I assume you’re holding onto this image of what he was in the NCAA and projecting it onto him as an NHL player. His style doesn’t work.

He’s not trusted enough to be given him any significant playing time, nor is he even trusted enough to cement himself as a third-pairing d-man.

Keep in mind that the Harris you see now isn't necessarily the fully developed Harris.

You don't want to hold on to the image of what he is at this age and project it onto him as a player in his prime. A lot can happen between now and then, such as gaining weight and experience along his developmental path. He himself knows he has to get bigger.

 

[shamrun]

Guess i might be the odd man out. I want Hutson to play top line minutes in the ahl for the full year. PP...PK....Shootout...5 on 5. The only player that should have more ice time than him would be the goalie. Unless he really disrupts and makes another dmen expandable.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Many times, and it’s when he’s under pressure that he folds the most. He coughs up the puck regularly and is often stripped by opposing players due to how soft and nonchalant he is. Physical play is anathema to him, and he hates being hit.

I assume you’re holding onto this image of what he was in the NCAA and projecting it onto him as an NHL player. His style doesn’t work.

He’s not trusted enough to be given him any significant playing time, nor is he even trusted enough to cement himself as a third-pairing d-man.

Yeah that's not true, but if you don't like the guy, you don't like the guy.

 

[Vachon23]

He'll have limitations. That doesn't mean he won't be able to play D.

I'm bullish on this guy.

That’s why I want a 1st pair of Guhle-Reinbacher that will face all the though minutes and Hutson with a physical and good skating RD on the 2nd pair where Hutson will have more liberty to use his strength.

 

[LaP]

Please don't start Hutson with the Habs unless he gets 16+ min per game, dude's a machine that is used to 25+ min per game, he can get close to that in Laval if he doesn't get it here (I know that NCAA guys play less than NHL, so it's likely he won't play as much in his first season).

Although he's played 2 NHL games already so that means he'd need 4 or less this season to still be eligible for the Calder in 2026. So meh

Dman all get 16 minutes. Amon the 11 defensemen used by Montréal last year only Gustav Lidstrom did not get 16 minutes a game of TOI.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

That’s why I want a 1st pair of Guhle-Reinbacher that will face all the though minutes and Hutson with a physical and good skating RD on the 2nd pair where Hutson will have more liberty to use his strength.

Mailloux is a more offensive minded blueliner though. I think he fits better with Guhle.

 

[montreal]

You think Harris is as smart and poised as they come?? I like Harris but he's not a play driver, he's not a creator, he brings nothing if he cannot be good defensively, that's why his size is an issue. Hutson's IQ is much higher, he's an absolute wizard compared to Harris, he'll be running a power play and be a point producer from the back. I don't think his size will be that big of an issue as some might think. There have been quite a few small NHL defensemen with successful careers.

I had very low expectations until I saw those two games he played at the end of last season. It's all I needed now I'm a believer lol. It didn't take long for Wings players to already start backing off him after a few shifts because he made them look stupid a couple of times.

Harris is very smart and rarely makes mistakes, I thought he had a terrible year in the little I watched of him in his 2nd full season but I heard he looked better in the 2nd half.

Being a play driver doesn't equal IQ or vice versa. Hutson's offensive IQ is way above Harris but we'll see how that works out in the NHL as in the NCAA he would too often try to do too much on his own and that I think is going to be an issue for him that we'll need to see how he adjusts.

 

[Vachon23]

Mailloux is a more offensive minded blueliner though. I think he fits better with Guhle.

I do think Guhle and Reinbacher have enough offence to support every line

 

[Rapala]

That’s why I want a 1st pair of Guhle-Reinbacher that will face all the though minutes and Hutson with a physical and good skating RD on the 2nd pair where Hutson will have more liberty to use his strength.

I concur I don't see him as a top pairing guy.
Hutson makes Matheson the odd man out but it doesn't mean he'll get that first pairing.
He'll be a great asset as a pure exploitationist. Top Ozone starts top PP starts limited Hard minutes.
He's also an ace in the hole for when we are chasing games in the third.
Let him do what he does best and keep him away from his weaker areas.
If it turns out his Dside becomes a strength in his game we obviously adjust.

 

[Redux91]

Mailloux is a more offensive minded blueliner though. I think he fits better with Guhle.

Safe to say
*Lots* of potential combinations to try in not too distant future
Even Xhekaj and Mailloux had a lil somethin somethin going in the AHL last year lol

I think management is set on seeing if Hutson-Reinbacher is truly something that sticks but I think they know they are not in a situation where they are desperate that it *needs* to work either

I think it's interesting Hutson Reinbacher gelled early, Xhekaj and Mailloux showed us something, and Guhle and Barron have weird chemistry too lol

In a perfect world tho I want Hutson - Reinbacher, Guhle - Mailloux

And last minutes of the game
Guhle - Reinbacher

 

[Sam de Mtl]

Guhle -Reinbacher
Hutson - Struble
Xhekaj - Mailloux

I could see that being really good pairings.

 

[26Mats]

The guy is 24 and hasn’t shown any growth since entering the league. He’s basically the same player he was when he first signed with us. All of our current young d-men are younger and show more upside than he does.

This is a make or break year for him.

I don't see Harris beating out Matheson, Guhle, Hutson, and Xhekaj. So I don't see him having a spot long term - unless we need to get rid of 2 of those 4 for salary cap reasons.

BUT, that's a different statement than saying Harris hasn't progressed. In fact it's totally irrelevant when assessing his progression, and therefore likely potential future trade value versus current trade value. I suspect he will be bigger and better at 25, 26, and 27 than he is now, like 95% of NHL dmen. But we'll see.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I do think Guhle and Reinbacher have enough offence to support every line

I’m thinking more on the defensive side. Guhle helps Mailloux and RB helps Hutson.

 

[Habs10Habs]

When have you ever seen Harris make a mistake under pressure? Harris is as smart and poised as they come.. that doesn't mean the upside is anything near Hutson, but people underrate Harris' traits.

Sadly Harris gets underrated by a portion of our fanbase. He's not physical like Wifi and Struble. He doesn't skate like Ghule or Matheson. Yet time after time if you watch him closely. He seems to make the right play. Actually unless I'm paying attention to him. I rarely notice he's on the ice. Which can be a good thing for a defenseman.

 

[Habs10Habs]

Many times, and it’s when he’s under pressure that he folds the most. He coughs up the puck regularly and is often stripped by opposing players due to how soft and nonchalant he is. Physical play is anathema to him, and he hates being hit.

I assume you’re holding onto this image of what he was in the NCAA and projecting it onto him as an NHL player. His style doesn’t work.

He’s not trusted enough to be given him any significant playing time, nor is he even trusted enough to cement himself as a third-pairing d-man.

Not trusted by who? Management and the coaching staff seem to think highly of him.

 

[JoelWarlord]

When are we going to learn about how to develop properly? He's played 2 NHL games with very high turnovers/60 and fans are ignoring the huge hurdle for D men when they turn pro.

I don't agree with the idea that the AHL is "developing properly" in this case. He's not going to get any bigger by playing in the AHL and he'll be able to get away with a lot more offensively in the AHL than the NHL as well. By all means he should be sent down if he looks overmatched at camp, but I don't think there's any reason at present to think he can't make the NHL roster over Harris and Struble. He's just in a totally different stratosphere on talent compared to those guys.

This is all about the boring stuff with Hutson because his offensive game is solid. He will have to learn how to block guys in front of the net, reduce time and space, closing gaps, dealing with bigger/fast/physical players.

Yes and he can learn these things in the NHL. Again he's not Mailloux or Xhekaj who had serious positioning issues to work on. He also isn't coming from junior hockey and has sky-high hockey IQ and will be partnered with Savard. He's not some delicate flower and he'll be fine learning from mistakes in the NHL.

Nobody is ignoring that he has things to work on but Jordan Harris is barely bigger than Hutson and he managed the transition to the NHL without any AHL time. It's a big jump but it's not insurmountable and plenty of far less talented players have been effective D+3 defencemen.

I'm staying on the lower side of the hype and I think it's a safe place to be.

Fair enough but that's not necessarily rational when we're talking about a very abnormal player profile. He's a special talent and shouldn't be assessed like we're talking about a 5'9 version of Nathan Beaulieu.

 

[schwang26]

I thought Price might have a shot at it but he only played 41 games. Wound up finishing 5th in the Calder and 9th in Vezina. One of the best save percentages in the league.

Hutson has a good shot and I'm still hopeful that Roy has a good year too.

It still amazes me that frickin Dryden was our last rookie of the year. I don’t get how that’s even possible.

 

[admiralcadillac]

We need to make sure Lane plays the right way.

Do you mean the white way?

 

[Habs10Habs]

Based on what exactly? He was a third-pairing defenseman the entire season, and was scratched on several occasions. We’ll see in the next few years what management thinks of him. We’re in a rebuild right now, so it doesn’t make sense to get rid of him.

We’ll see if management trusts him when it’s time to push for the playoffs.

He went straight from University to the Habs, without a stop in Laval. While others his age were sent down, he wasn't. Being a third-pairing defenseman doesn't mean he's not trusted. Obviously things can and probably will change over the next few years. Fans here seem to want to include him in every trade. I honestly don't think that management feels the same way.