Player Discussion Lane Hutson Part 2

[Kojo]

Those things are true, and they WILL affect his NHL performance if not improved a lot.

I believe his ceiling is Sam Girard unless there is a big change in his skating and defensive agility.

Why would his ceiling be Sam Girard? Are you out of your mind? The guy has an historic season and you compare him with Girard? Don't even reply with more bs.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

Don't forget to vote for Lane Hutson to win the Hobey Baker, you can also vote for Sean Farrell, why not alternate between both each day, if you like both, you can vote everyday.

https://hobeybaker.com/awards/vote-for-hobey/?nsl_bypass_cache=27c12fefa723bbb7e9f3d2a0f8a0231c

 

[BaseballCoach]

Do you remember how Bobrov praise Slafkovsky at the draft table when he talk about how he want to make the difference in the big moment and elevate is game to be the hero, he talk about him like a Ovechkin or a Rocket 2.0 in some ways, but we didn't see that yet and I have some doubt but it's another story.

He draft one of that kind of guy that year but with the 62th pick not the 1st ... We didn't talk enough of how clutch and valuable this guy was for his team this year. I have related some of the highlight of his season to show that!

October 29 - Win 2-1 / 2 Goals : 17:51 - Period 3 (Tieing Goal) - 2:29 OT (GWG)
November 19 - 1 Goal 1 Assist / Goal : 2:38 OT (GWG) / Assist : 8:45 Period 3 (Tieing Goal)
November 23 - 2 Goals : 9:34 Period 1 - 0:35 Period 3 (GWG)
January 14 - GWG at 19:57 - Period 3
January 28 - 2 assists in a 3-1 win
February 3 - Assist on the first goal of the game / 3 assists in a 5-3 win
March 4 - 2 assists in a 2-0 win
March 17 - 1 assist on the Tieing goal at 17:28 of Period 3

HM :
October 22 - First goal of the game

In the last game, Boston can't generate nothing offensively in a do or die game. They got beat 33-12 on the shot department before Lane try something to generate some offense and change the game.

I have talked about it this week, using him for his strength and how he can do some things others can't from the offensive point a la Guy Lapointe. You can't learn to play with the puck and to be the guy who want or be able to make the difference, Hutson check all the points on that case!

He will never be on the ice when you lead in the final moment of the game, other one will do that but nobody can do what he is doing with the puck on his stick!

As someone who saw almost every game Guy Lapointe ever played, please just STOP comparing Hutson to Lapointe. If you want to compare him to previous Hab defencemen, he is closer to a combination of Marc-André Bergeron (similar height and defensive ability) and Tom Kurvers (impressive NCAA stats, though Kurvers was bigger).

Why would his ceiling be Sam Girard? Are you out of your mind? The guy has an historic season and you compare him with Girard? Don't even reply with more bs.

If he does not improve his skating and defensive agility, Lane will be limited at the NHL level.

His developmental goals MUST BE to improve those two things, not to get for example 4 more points next year but with the same skating and agility on defence.

 

[Belial]

If he does not improve his skating and defensive agility, Lane will be limited at the NHL level.

His developmental goals MUST BE to improve those two things, not to get for example 4 more points next year but with the same skating and agility on defence.

How come he managed to have a historical season while being so flawed?

 

[CanadienShark]

As someone who saw almost every game Guy Lapointe ever played, please just STOP comparing Hutson to Lapointe. If you want to compare him to previous Hab defencemen, he is closer to a combination of Marc-André Bergeron (similar height and defensive ability) and Tom Kurvers (impressive NCAA stats, though Kurvers was bigger).


If he does not improve his skating and defensive agility, Lane will be limited at the NHL level.

His developmental goals MUST BE to improve those two things, not to get for example 4 more points next year but with the same skating and agility on defence.

Do you mean defensive ability? Either you're agile, or you're not. Never heard someone say defensive agility before, unless you mean using his ability better for defence, which goes back to ability.

 

[Galchenyuk15]

Those things are true, and they WILL affect his NHL performance if not improved a lot.

I believe his ceiling is Sam Girard unless there is a big change in his skating and defensive agility.

He will produce more than Girard only with his PP production .. I know Girard is better than his numbers because of the way he got use in Colorado but you overestimate him or you see some thing I can't see if you find this 2 players similars.

Hutson play a kind of game we didn't see enough and hard to play in a effective way for a defenseman, Girard play a lot more in a conventionnal way for a defenseman with some offensive upside and a really good hockey head; he use the space on the ice in a very effective way and rarely choose the wrong option.

I didn't see Hutson as a good defenseman yet, a lot better than what we hearing but a offensive dynamo; a chance to be one of kind for defenseman something Girard can only dream to achieve ... Girard didn't make the team Canada at 18 and didn't came close to break a single record at any level.

He produce well in the LHJMQ and in the NHL but he never score more than 10 goals in a season ... Girard has score 68 goals in 688 games since 2011-12 his Bantam AAA years!

Do you really think if Hutson will be playing in the LHJMQ he can't do better than 10 goals and 74 points in a full season with 16 to 20 years olds kid around him when he came close to a 1,35 PPG in the NCAA with man from 18 to 24 years old?

 

[BaseballCoach]

How come he managed to have a historical season while being so flawed?

His defensive flaws do not affect his point totals. Apples and oranges.

His offensive flaw of underwhelming foot speed is not exposed as much against defenders that inexperienced. NHL defenders will not fall for the shoulder fakes as often as NCAA defenders do. When you watch Sam Girard doing them, they don't work as well.

In the NHL, he will get stood up a lot more, and he does not have an extra gear at this time to avoid that.

More explosiveness may help.

His other offensive challenge is a weaker shot than you would want in a top D scorer. NHL goalies will stop way more of his shots.

Lane is still young. If he can improve his skating and his shot, he will project better, but right now, he is far from NHL ready despite his obviously impressive NCAA stats.

Do you mean defensive ability? Either you're agile, or you're not. Never heard someone say defensive agility before, unless you mean using his ability better for defence, which goes back to ability.

I mean his agility when skating backwards is way below his agility skating forwards. Watch Mike Matheson to see what I mean by defensive agility. That agility makes up for a lot of the miscues Matheson makes with his bold style.

 

[Galchenyuk15]

As someone who saw almost every game Guy Lapointe ever played, please just STOP comparing Hutson to Lapointe. If you want to compare him to previous Hab defencemen, he is closer to a combination of Marc-André Bergeron (similar height and defensive ability) and Tom Kurvers (impressive NCAA stats, though Kurvers was bigger).


If he does not improve his skating and defensive agility, Lane will be limited at the NHL level.

His developmental goals MUST BE to improve those two things, not to get for example 4 more points next year but with the same skating and agility on defence.

The role not the player for godsake. Whatever the strength of the team they will have with Hutson on board, he will be the main guy when you need to create some offense late in the game like Lapointe got use at the time because is better than everyone else at his position at playing hockey.

Bergeron get a shot to kill, Girard has the head to kill, Hutson has the head, the skill and the hockey sense to destroy all .. they don't generate offense the same way and to use MAB in the same sentence as Hutson is a disgrace ... If you can't see the magic Hutson bring, I don't know what to say.

What he is doing it's a lot better than whatever the number he put on the sheet. He create, he make the plays, he is not only the guy who put some point at defense, he his the go to go guy for his team and the offensive motor when you need a spark or something it's Hutson time at 18 in a man league!

Edit : Without the all around package the player I find the most similar to him to have played with the Habs recently is Mathieu Schneider who got a better shot than Hutson by far but a very good hockey sense and skill to be a offensive defenseman. Schneider didn't play as a 4th forward but still have an offensive mentality!

 

[CanadienShark]

His defensive flaws do not affect his point totals. Apples and oranges.

His offensive flaw of underwhelming foot speed is not exposed as much against defenders that inexperienced. NHL defenders will not fall for the shoulder fakes as often as NCAA defenders do. When you watch Sam Girard doing them, they don't work as well.

In the NHL, he will get stood up a lot more, and he does not have an extra gear at this time to avoid that.

More explosiveness may help.

His other offensive challenge is a weaker shot than you would want in a top D scorer. NHL goalies will stop way more of his shots.

Lane is still young. If he can improve his skating and his shot, he will project better, but right now, he is far from NHL ready despite his obviously impressive NCAA stats.


I mean his agility when skating backwards is way below his agility skating forwards. Watch Mike Matheson to see what I mean by defensive agility. That agility makes up for a lot opf the miscues Matheson makes with his bold style.

Ah ok, gotcha. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[FrankMTL]

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

Wow, so much naysayers lol, a lot said the same thing about Caufield, too small, not fast enough, not good defensively, his goal scoring ability will not translate to the NHL, a guy with the skill level of Hutson will adapt to the NHL, i have no doubts, just enjoy that we got a gem like this in second round instead of nitpickin.

 

[crosbyshow]

Sam Girard is so underrated.

The guy does 30 to 35 points years after year ...without about any pp time.

He has a guy named Cale Makar in front of him to play on the pp and the Avs use only 1d on the pp

If a 22 years old' Hutson would play for the Avs this year...I bet that Makar would still have all the pp time..

..and if Hutson reach Girard's level on the defensive side...I would be very very happy.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

View attachment 671906

The trophy probably weighs as much as he does.

 

[Belial]

View attachment 671906

Bow legs are apparently a sign of greatness!

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Unfortunately all of his teammates jumping on him compressed him and he's back down to being 5'8

We have the technology to build him back better

 

[durojean]

You are just wrong....he was absolutely dominated down low, on the boards and in front of the net.

Nobody is denying his offensive prowess and he was used more when the U.S. needed a goal but was often stapled to the bench most of the time following poor d-zone sequences....the kid literally can not skate backwards. It is impossible to be an adequate defender when you can't skate backwards and the U.S.A. coaching staff were clearly afraid to use him when he was often the smallest, weakest and slowest player on the ice.

In the game day threads people were actually admitting how he was being dominated and these are people that did not want to believe it originally.

Hutson was a specialized weapon that was reserved for certain situations at the WJC. Hopefully he builds up his lower half and not only improves his back skating but learns the nuances of defending while in a back skate.

I think you are right that he was stapled to the bech following subpar defensive play.

I am also saying that that was not the solution if they wanted to maximize him. He needed to play to get his legs under him and adapt to the level. And he also showed that he did against Canada no less. Sad it was the last game of the tournament.

At the WJC, maybe there was no time to do that ans the coach had other options, but at the end, maybe he would have won against Canada if he had a Hustson going on all cylinders instead of the tentative, adapting Hutson he got all the tournament.

It’s like in life, if you never gives someone your full trust because of this and that, you’ll never get access to their full potential. Of course their will be growing pains and you’ll have to live with that. It’s an investment, especially when you deal with elites, because most of the time they are going to adapt quicker than you think.

 

[FrankMTL]

Looking at all the grown men he was playing with and against, it's incredible what this 18 year old with a "child's" body was able to achieve.

 

[durojean]

Do you mean defensive ability? Either you're agile, or you're not. Never heard someone say defensive agility before, unless you mean using his ability better for defence, which goes back to ability.

He’s awkward skating backward and opponents can exploit him more that way.

If you focus on that, he’s a bad player. People fear it will linit his potential at the NHL level.

I feel like they are focusing way too much on that.

 

[Belial]

His defensive flaws do not affect his point totals. Apples and oranges.

His offensive flaw of underwhelming foot speed is not exposed as much against defenders that inexperienced. NHL defenders will not fall for the shoulder fakes as often as NCAA defenders do. When you watch Sam Girard doing them, they don't work as well.

In the NHL, he will get stood up a lot more, and he does not have an extra gear at this time to avoid that.

More explosiveness may help.

His other offensive challenge is a weaker shot than you would want in a top D scorer. NHL goalies will stop way more of his shots.

Lane is still young. If he can improve his skating and his shot, he will project better, but right now, he is far from NHL ready despite his obviously impressive NCAA stats.

He managed to lead his team with a +25... Not bad for a defensively challenged D.

 

[Balthazar]

Sam Girard is so underrated.

The guy does 30 to 35 points years after year ...without about any pp time.

He has a guy named Cale Makar in front of him to play on the pp and the Avs use only 1d on the pp

If a 22 years old' Hutson would play for the Avs this year...I bet that Makar would still have all the pp time..

..and if Hutson reach Girard's level on the defensive side...I would be very very happy.

People here forget (or don't know) how much Girard kicked ass in junior too.

QMJHL rookie on the year in 2014 and then won the best dman award (Q's version of the Norris trophy) the following year. He became a full time NHLer at age 19.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

He’s awkward skating backward and opponents can exploit him more that way.

If you focus on that, he’s a bad player. People fear it will linit his potential at the NHL level.

I feel like they are focusing way too much on that.

I guess the issue is that I have never in over 40 years of watching the game ever witnessed a highly touted dman who not only struggled but can't back skate almost at all. Brisebois comes to mind in his early years but he was ahead of where Lane is now albeit a year older when he came to Montreal as I did not see much of him in the Q.

Back skating is so dependant on strong thighs/butt as it is basically skating while doing a wall sit without the wall lol. I think Lane is just very physically underdeveloped and is going to need a ton of squats/leg press and deadlifts this summer to help provide the tools. His forward skating is also well below average as he generates zero power and relies on jumping into his edges rather than having the power to effectively push off from them.

I think he likely needs at least two full seasons before making the Habs. If he can build a foundation to start to improve his strength this summer it will be huge. He is too determined and too skilled with the puck not to make it but make no mistake that the Lane Hutson of right now gets badly exploited in pro hockey.

He managed to lead his team with a +25... Not bad for a defensively challenged D.

Plus minus is 100% meaningless for most players. Hockey East is very weak overall and it is no surprise that the best offensive player on the best team has a great +/-

 

[Habnot]

Some posters just like to post their contrarian views in the event that a player busts and then they can come out and tell us I told you so..

And focussing on his backward skating crossovers like they are Adam Nicolas...When I see him skate I see agility, change of speed, change of direction - defining an excellent skater. Will he progress? Of course - he's 19 and still growing into his body.

He's been a dominant player rarely seen as a 19 year old in the NCAA and a profile of a player we don't have in our pipeline. Can we just enjoy and leave it that?

 

[Belial]

 

[WinterLion]

I guess the issue is that I have never in over 40 years of watching the game ever witnessed a highly touted dman who not only struggled but can't back skate almost at all. Brisebois comes to mind in his early years but he was ahead of where Lane is now albeit a year older when he came to Montreal as I did not see much of him in the Q.

Back skating is so dependant on strong thighs/butt as it is basically skating while doing a wall sit without the wall lol. I think Lane is just very physically underdeveloped and is going to need a ton of squats/leg press and deadlifts this summer to help provide the tools. His forward skating is also well below average as he generates zero power and relies on jumping into his edges rather than having the power to effectively push off from them.

I think he likely needs at least two full seasons before making the Habs. If he can build a foundation to start to improve his strength this summer it will be huge. He is too determined and too skilled with the puck not to make it but make no mistake that the Lane Hutson of right now gets badly exploited in pro hockey.



Plus minus is 100% meaningless for most players. Hockey East is very weak overall and it is no surprise that the best offensive player on the best team has a great +/-

Skating backwards is becoming less and less important as coaches want pressure and pivots happening sooner.... but yes I do agree that Hutson will need to become a stronger skater. I think there is time for that.

 

[Legend123]

Even if we drafted Bedard, these guys will come out and nitpick and argue