LD Cole Hutson - US National U17 Team, USDP (2024, 43rd, WSH)

[Essenege]

Lane hasn't grown that much since being drafted. Not in a way that would have surprised or changed the mind of NHL scouts. Cole will need more than that on his side.

I'm not saying a team in the late 1st might not roll the dice on Cole. That wouldn't shock me even if he's still small. But it would shock me to see him go in the top half of the first round as of now. NHL teams reach all the time in the first 15 picks but it's usually not for the undersized guys, and almost never for the undersized defensemen. They reach on plus size; supposed character or leadership; projectibilty; or safe picks.

Lane at 62nd was stupid af. Scouts can be a f***in bunch of dinosaurs sometime. He might have the best hockey IQ in the 22 draft and it was known at the time he was a top 5 talent…Should have been a mid first round pick and would be around 10 in a redraft.

But the dinosaur mentality - you need to be this tall to play in the NHL - prevailed. Height is important but secondary at this level of IQ.

The fact that Cole is first round bound his scouts realizing how stupid they were.

 

[Tanknation]

And a bunch of wannabe scouts on here not long ago said Cole was the better prospect compared to Lane

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

And a bunch of wannabe scouts on here not long ago said Cole was the better prospect compared to Lane

He has a chance to be.

He’s a little different from Lane. Won’t make the same highlights with the puck, but the weaknesses that Lane has are areas where Cole is a little stronger.

 

[DatDude44]

And a bunch of wannabe scouts on here not long ago said Cole was the better prospect compared to Lane

His dad actually said that lol

 

[Tanknation]

His dad actually said that lol

Of course he did. Wouldn't you when your one son had already been drafted but not the other yet?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

 

[SK94]

Cole is now the leading scoring defenseman in NTDP history. 114 points.

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Washington

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Great pick. Went about a round too late. Cole had a very good season, but no one noticed because his point totals inevitably didn’t match the crazy year he had the year before and he had an injury that cost him a few months.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Great pick. Went about a round too late. Cole had a very good season, but no one noticed because his point totals inevitably didn’t match the crazy year he had the year before and he had an injury that cost him a few months.

Great reports from the development camp. Puck skills were very impressive.