Prospect Info: Lane Hutson Part 2

[Belial]

The drill is obviously focused on the initial push but he made the same stumble that he has made at points during the season when he tried to initiate a crossover. Without seeing the full drill with other players it is difficult to say whether Nicholas wanted him to cross over, stop, then push from a stop again. I would have the player execute a crossover but perhaps he integrated that at a later time.

My main initial concern was not with the crossover anyways it was with his clear level of discomfort with anything moving backwards. I was already aware of this issue and was not encouraged to see that it was a real problem at camp after a summer of training.

Anyways....the kid is a stud and will be fine. My concerns about him not growing appear to be misguided and I consider the skating issue to be far more likely a speed bump than a road block.

Kid will always skate forward

 

[Miller Time]

By this time next year Hutson might well cement himself as the best D prospect on the planet... What a gem & the kid seems to have the drive to aggressively keep refining his game.

Future is bright

 

[CHwest]

The drill is obviously focused on the initial push but he made the same stumble that he has made at points during the season when he tried to initiate a crossover. Without seeing the full drill with other players it is difficult to say whether Nicholas wanted him to cross over, stop, then push from a stop again. I would have the player execute a crossover but perhaps he integrated that at a later time.

My main initial concern was not with the crossover anyways it was with his clear level of discomfort with anything moving backwards. I was already aware of this issue and was not encouraged to see that it was a real problem at camp after a summer of training.

Anyways....the kid is a stud and will be fine. My concerns about him not growing appear to be misguided and I consider the skating issue to be far more likely a speed bump than a road block.

If he can't skate backwards he will be a specialist not a regular defenseman, pros will eat that up.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I’m pretty good at tempering expectations on prospects, but sometimes I don’t know what to think of Hutson.

He had an incredible rookie season, and he’s still on roll. He’s such a deceptive player and with his skills it’s hard to not see him have some success.

I believe he will always have problems under sustained pressure in his zone. But his ability to retrieve the puck and get out will determine if he’ll have a career or not.

The better he will be on offense, the less he will need to play defence and the higher chance he’ll get to have a career in the NHL.

It’s a bit like Barron, when it’s a one and done he can easily help transition out of the zone, but under sustained pressure you see him flop around and be horrible in his zone.

Barron is great skater and has an amazing outlet pass, but he doesn’t have Hutson’s hands and deceptiveness.

Can’t wait to see him in the show, and how he handles the pressure from NHL players.

We can always make him a winger

 

[JohnTheBaptist]

We can always make him a winger

That's a great idea actually. He would make a fantastic top 6 winger.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

If he can't skate backwards he will be a specialist not a regular defenseman, pros will eat that up.

I am sure he will make huge improvements in short order. He likely just has avoided using it in game situations for his entire hockey career most likely due to his hyper competitive nature and a hard headed attitude where he never wanted to take that half step backwards even for a short while to take that extra step forward (backwards in this case lol).

I agree that his current defensive approach would be quickly and catastrophically exposed as he is so susceptible to hard cuts to both the inside or outside depending on what side he is cheating on never mind more complex attacks that would leave him on his ass. I am sure he is now aware of this as it was a huge problem at the WJC and he was beat too many times due to this in college as well. I will be shocked if he has not incorporated better back skating and defensive posture to start next season.

 

[Jack Skellington]

That's a great idea actually. He would make a fantastic top 6 winger.

I've thought about this too but out of curiosity has it ever happened before? As in undersized offensive dman prospect switched to forward and actually excelled?

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I've thought about this too but out of curiosity has it ever happened before? As in undersized offensive dman prospect switched to forward and actually excelled?

Dandenault

 

[CHwest]

Dandenault

Is that true?

 

[JohnTheBaptist]

I've thought about this too but out of curiosity has it ever happened before? As in undersized offensive dman prospect switched to forward and actually excelled?

I'm not sure but I don't see why he couldn't. Maybe he'll be good enough on D, time will tell.

 

[Jack Skellington]

I'm not sure but I don't see why he couldn't. Maybe he'll be good enough on D, time will tell.

I personally think he will be, and will be far more valuable if he can make it work as a dman than a forward.

 

[Fatbiggie]

Is that true?

He actually converted from forward to defenceman. The « excelled » part is subject to debate.

 

[Habaddict]

If he can't skate backwards he will be a specialist not a regular defenseman, pros will eat that up.

Actually hockey may be the most "hide bound" and traditional of
major sports. I have thought for 30 years or more, that nhl teams
should use a "point guard" like position. the firsat team to really
have that player, may be habs.
And I don't care, if he can skate backwards.

 

[CHwest]

Actually hockey may be the most "hide bound" and traditional of
major sports. I have thought for 30 years or more, that nhl teams
should use a "point guard" like position. the firsat team to really
have that player, may be habs.
And I don't care, if he can skate backwards.

I am interested to see what becomes of him.

 

[Habaddict]

I am interested to see what becomes of him.

Yes, I trained athletes at other sports. But Hutson's
carreer path will be very interesting.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

By this time next year Hutson might well cement himself as the best D prospect on the planet... What a gem & the kid seems to have the drive to aggressively keep refining his game.

Future is bright

Does his brother have something to say about that?

 

[Ozmodiar]

Pretty sure this is one of Nichols unique exercises and not just Lane failing to skate backwards footage.
I seem to remember the exercise was actually the opposite i.e. to not do the crossover and just use the edge from the inside foot.

It is. He wants them to do exactly the opposite of what they’re used to doing - what comes naturally.
It’s part of a progression to another agility / footwork drill.

He clearly failed miserably as this was about skating backwards from a stop and and required a crossover after the initial jump

No. Definitely not this.

 

[BenchBrawl]

.

 

[Prendan Brust]

I hate this logic as it is commonly used by people who are wrong and refuse to address the details, instead reverting to making broad generalizations and asking how the original premise could be true without actually providing an opinion.

Lane Hutson struggles mightily with skating backwards, that has been accepted as common fact even by his strongest supporters who I happen to be one of. Go back and watch the film instead of playing punch and duck with vague rebuttals, take notice of him almost always skating opposite to his partner and only turning into a back skate glide but almost never attempting a back crossover.



Now you show me video of him completing back crossovers.

I don’t know man, I’m not a great hockey player but I skate way better than him backwards, I have better crossovers from both sides. I don’t know what they’re trying to teach him in that videos but I believe they’re forcing him to work on a specific aspect of backward crossovers mechanics. No kid at that level cannot do regular backward crossovers.

 

[malcb33]

It is. He wants them to do exactly the opposite of what they’re used to doing - what comes naturally.
It’s part of a progression to another agility / footwork drill.

100%! Doing the opposite of the muscle memory that you've built up after years of practice, is difficult no matter what the skill is.

I don’t know man, I’m not a great hockey player but I skate way better than him backwards, I have better crossovers from both sides. I don’t know what they’re trying to teach him in that videos but I believe they’re forcing him to work on a specific aspect of backward crossovers mechanics. No kid at that level cannot do regular backward crossovers.

I can guarantee you, you can not skate better backward than him. Have you ever played with ex-NHLers or NHL-drafted players? The fact he can hold his own against these high-level players is not something a "not great hockey player" can do, and that includes his so-called "underwhelming" backward skating ability.

 

[Prendan Brust]

100%! Doing the opposite of the muscle memory that you've built up after years of practice, is difficult no matter what the skill is.


I can guarantee you, you can not skate better backward than him. Have you ever played with ex-NHLers or NHL-drafted players? The fact he can hold his own against these high-level players is not something a "not great hockey player" can do, and that includes his so-called "underwhelming" backward skating ability.

I know that, what I was trying to say is that in that specific video, if he’s really trying to do backward crossovers, I can do better then that. But as I’ve said, I don’t think this is what he’s trying to do and I’m 100% sure he can do way better backward crossovers than me. Basically, that video isn’t indicative of his backward skating skills.

 

[Andrei79]

So, Hutson does a drill where he's asked not to do crossovers and the conclusion is that he can't do crossovers ? Lol.

 

[Favster]

I don’t know man, I’m not a great hockey player but I skate way better than him backwards, I have better crossovers from both sides. I don’t know what they’re trying to teach him in that videos but I believe they’re forcing him to work on a specific aspect of backward crossovers mechanics. No kid at that level cannot do regular backward crossovers.

LOOLL. Some people have no idea how good these guys actually are. That's embarassing man.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

This thread brings me joy whenever I visit it.

 

[Prendan Brust]

LOOLL. Some people have no idea how good these guys actually are. That's embarassing man.

It was poorly worded, I’ve said what I meant in a post after.