LD Lane Hutson - Boston University, NCAA (2022, 62nd, MTL)

[hawksrule]

You can't compare Bryce Young, Bryce never played at a level even close to Hutson.

Is that a joke?

 

[montreal]

I do think people overreact over a couple inches. If anything people should be more concerned about the weight.

I say that all the time around here. At 158 lbs I would be very concerned but if he's at 185 in a few years then I'm not that concerned with his size as long as the lower body strength improves a lot he should be fine imo.

 

[Craig Ludwig]

Bryce literally won the award for best collegiate football player and literally went first overall in the NFL draft.

It’s a casual comp from a completely different sport meant to draw some parallels between lightweight and yet effervescent players in their respective athletic fields and how their potential stardom would be unique and potentially ground breaking in how we view size versus skill and IQ at the highest levels of very physical professional sports.

I’m not sure how on earth you go about qualifying “Bryce never played at a level even close to Hutson.”

My bad, I was referring to Bryce Young the hockey player

 

[Frank Drebin]

I say that all the time around here. At 158 lbs I would be very concerned but if he's at 185 in a few years then I'm not that concerned with his size as long as the lower body strength improves a lot he should be fine imo.

5'8 185 is a thikk boi

 

[Guadana]

Some of you care too much about an extra inch of two.

He's 5'9...if he was 5'10 or 5'11 would you be having the same conversation? His hockey IQ more than makes up for it and should help him make the NHL, how well he performs is to be seen.

His IQ will never help him when he will play against Tkachucks, Metthews, Thompson, Barkov, Batherson, even Fantilli, Meier etc on the boards\on the slot\ when he will try to steal the puck when they will protect it. Lever is a thing for NHL defenseman. And he needs to gain a lot of muscles.
It`s ok to talk about his offensive potential and how talented he is, but it`s a real thing for him(and for Casey from NJD) with their height and weight.

 

[bigdog16]

His IQ will never help him when he will play against Tkachucks, Metthews, Thompson, Barkov, Batherson, even Fantilli, Meier etc on the boards\on the slot\ when he will try to steal the puck when they will protect it. Lever is a thing for NHL defenseman. And he needs to gain a lot of muscles.
It`s ok to talk about his offensive potential and how talented he is, but it`s a real thing for him(and for Casey from NJD) with their height and weight.

Being 5’9” and having a high IQ is better than being 6’ and having an average IQ

No ones arguing that he’s small. And no one is here saying he is a defensive stalwart. He’s never going to be a guy you put on the ice in the last minute to protect a 1 goal lead.

 

[Kojo]

Yup. Only seen his highlights, which are all of him with the puck and he looks good. He’s very small though and a D. He will need to value his play without the puck as much (likely more actually) as he does with it to be an nhl player who helps his club win.

You didn't even watch him play one whole game and you have an opinion? gtfo man.

 

[Guadana]

Being 5’9” and having a high IQ is better than being 6’ and having an average IQ

No ones arguing that he’s small. And no one is here saying he is a defensive stalwart. He’s never going to be a guy you put on the ice in the last minute to protect a 1 goal lead.

Nope. I`m ranking IQ as the most important tool(especially if we will understand what kind of IQ we are talking about) and skating is second important. But everything is working with the acceptable level of other indicators. His physics aren`t on nhl level. If he will have a lot of problems against strong competition, than we are talking about 3 pair PP qb and the level of hype and expectaions are unnecessary. It`s ok to be happy with his adventages, but talks about his sky high potential and how his physics don`t matter - they are completly wrong. Would be great to find some videos where he is playing against bigger player in his own zone, break down his defensive game, positional game, how he is trying to push away players or how he is trying to poke the puck etc.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

His IQ will never help him when he will play against Tkachucks, Metthews, Thompson, Barkov, Batherson, even Fantilli, Meier etc on the boards\on the slot\ when he will try to steal the puck when they will protect it. Lever is a thing for NHL defenseman. And he needs to gain a lot of muscles.
It`s ok to talk about his offensive potential and how talented he is, but it`s a real thing for him(and for Casey from NJD) with their height and weight.

IQ is the one thing that would help a smaller player in these kinds of situations.
If you can't outmuscle a player, then you need to find a different way to be able to defend, which is where IQ comes into play.

Hutson won't be able to push those big players away, so he will need to find another way such as using his stick effectively, and Hutson is known for having a great defensive stick.

 

[BKarchitect]

He’s agile and getting quicker and he’s of course got the IQ but he still needs to develop power in his skating. Space and time are in short supply at the NHL level as many collegiate stars, especially defenders, who have all the hockey brains to dominate in the NCAA but may not have the exceptional skating to overcome physical limitations have found out very quickly.

Hutson is on a different level of course than most of those guys in pure skill but again the focus on weight or size in this weird obsessive vacuum is not going to be the difference in him being a limited heavily sheltered third pair PP specialist on one end and an absolutely dynamic offensive weapon on the other.

 

[bigdog16]

Nope. I`m ranking IQ as the most important tool(especially if we will understand what kind of IQ we are talking about) and skating is second important. But everything is working with the acceptable level of other indicators. His physics aren`t on nhl level. If he will have a lot of problems against strong competition, than we are talking about 3 pair PP qb and the level of hype and expectaions are unnecessary. It`s ok to be happy with his adventages, but talks about his sky high potential and how his physics don`t matter - they are completly wrong. Would be great to find some videos where he is playing against bigger player in his own zone, break down his defensive game, positional game, how he is trying to push away players or how he is trying to poke the puck etc.

How are Spurgeons physics

 

[Guadana]

IQ is the one thing that would help a smaller player in these kinds of situations.
If you can't outmuscle a player, then you need to find a different way to be able to defend, which is where IQ comes into play.

Hutson won't be able to push those big players away, so he will need to find another way such as using his stick effectively, and Hutson is known for having a great defensive stick.

It`s great on paper, but what he will do against puck protection and driving the net? On the boards? On the slot? This players aren`t average, they are very successful because they can protect the puck from good sticks. Again, I understand that he is talented player. And absolutely he should be good enough against driving the zone, may be against motion in cycling. But puck battles is a different anymal and for now he isn`t there with his physics. And it really limit his potential. Not like he will never can grow on himself, but what we are having for now - top offensive potential, questionable game under pressure, weak performance under physical pressure. Again, me as a Devils fan, have our own very promising and interesting defensive prospect Seamus Casey. He is very mobile with and without the puck. But again - we can`t put him automatically in top-defensive prospect poll of the league. Both are in one step from being potential top-4 defensemen, but in both cases we have small defensemen who can be pushed out from the puck and poop the bad in important situation. Defense is about defense from the beggining if we are talking about top-4 duties. And both will be push out be a lever of bigger players. If only they can gain leg and lower back muscles and start to win this battles on the lower end of the balance. Both should be average to start to play in top-4. If they will not and will face third lines and pp, than they could even produce a lot of points, but it`s no way an important part of the game.

So both are behind of Sanderson, Nemec, Hughes, Simashev, Jiricek, Reinbacher, Power, Faber, Guhle, Mukhamadullin, Edvinsson(I do not attach importance to the order of these surnames)etc in young defensemen rankings for now. They can be higher but both of them should make a huge step back in physics, in technics of physical parts of the game. Sad but true.

 

[Guadana]

How are Spurgeons physics

Great, you named borderline first\second pair defenseman as role model for Casey and Hutson. Pretty good production, but not so sky high. Good defensive player. And very rare player with his height and weight as defenseman in NHL. Let`s hope both will hit the ceiling and even will overplay it, at least in offensive zone. Physics of Hutson aren`t on the level with Spurgeon for now. Would be great if he will hit it. Is Spurgeon a top-5 or top-10 defenseman in NHL? Even if he would produce 45-50 points per season?

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

My bad, I was referring to Bryce Young the hockey player

Bryce Young the hockey player? Oh, right, *that* Bryce Young, most recently with the Slave Lake Icedogs and Steinbach Pistons. Got it.

Bryce Young - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Bryce Young, 1999-11-08 The Pas, MB, CAN Canada. Most recently in the undefined with Slave Lake Icedogs. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Captain97]

I say that all the time around here. At 158 lbs I would be very concerned but if he's at 185 in a few years then I'm not that concerned with his size as long as the lower body strength improves a lot he should be fine imo.

Agreed, it's like when people say Suzuki is small because he is 5'11. He's 210lbs he's built like a truck.

 

[Kung Fu Tzu]

Bryce Young the hockey player? Oh, right, *that* Bryce Young, most recently with the Slave Lake Icedogs and Steinbach Pistons. Got it.

Yeah, just like he said; he has never played at a level even close to Lane Hutson. Spot on, haha!

 

[BKarchitect]

Great, you named borderline first\second pair defenseman as role model for Casey and Hutson. Pretty good production, but not so sky high. Good defensive player. And very rare player with his height and weight as defenseman in NHL. Let`s hope both will hit the ceiling and even will overplay it, at least in offensive zone. Physics of Hutson aren`t on the level with Spurgeon for now. Would be great if he will hit it. Is Spurgeon a top-5 or top-10 defenseman in NHL? Even if he would produce 45-50 points per season?

I mean Spurgeon is a legit top pairing defenseman which is pretty remarkable given his size and light playing weight.

Hutson is a different kind of player. Spurgeon is extremely smart, high IQ and a very good skater at the NHL level. He's a more advanced skater than Hutson. His intelligent play without the puck is what makes him awesome and really good defensively despite his size.

Hutson with the puck on his stick is a different category of offensive genius than Spurgeon. But he's not (yet) the skater Spurgeon is and his play without the puck will no doubt have to improve. If Hutson gets to the NHL with Spurgeon or Girard's skating - he's going to be a star. I have little doubt. But that's a big qualifier.

He will ever be the level of a Hughes bro or Makar - that's a level of skating you can't simply improve to by training. That's sheer natural talent (and meticulously honed of course). Makar has unbelievable power in his stride and a short step explosion that Hutson will never have. All the Hughes brothers just skate with an amount of natural effortlessness that is hard to quantify. That's why I think simply extrapolating NCAA numbers and comparing them is foolish. I also wouldn't yet have him in my top 10 of a 2022 redraft - a draft that looks much stronger now than it did at the time.

But - there is no doubt Hutson has improved his stock as much of anybody and already is an unqualified steal for the Habs as one of the most exciting young prospects around. I'm torn between wanting Habs fans to calm down and being every bit as excited as them. It will be fascinating to see how he turns out, for sure.

 

[ottawa]

His IQ will never help him when he will play against Tkachucks, Metthews, Thompson, Barkov, Batherson, even Fantilli, Meier etc on the boards\on the slot\ when he will try to steal the puck when they will protect it. Lever is a thing for NHL defenseman. And he needs to gain a lot of muscles.
It`s ok to talk about his offensive potential and how talented he is, but it`s a real thing for him(and for Casey from NJD) with their height and weight.

His IQ will help him draw those players in before passing the puck or help him draw penalties.

He's obviously not going to run towards physical play or be out there to defend a 1 goal lead.

 

[hawksrule]

The validation people are yearning for in this thread is just weird. If he’s going to overcome his shortcomings and star among the best players in his draft class, then it will happen independent of convincing hf of its inevitability.

 

[the paisanos guy]

What % of his time on ice will he have the puck? 10-15%? Less? Guys need to play without the puck for their clubs to win. If Hutson values his play without the puck as he does with it, then he will develop into a really good player. If he doesn’t truly see the importance of playing play without the puck then he’s not going to help his nhl club win.

this is the hard-hitting analysis i'm looking for when i visit the hf board forum. Lane Hutson, a person who's spent most of his life dedicated to the sport of hockey, really might not be aware that his actions without the puck can actually impact the game. I can only hope there are top people willing to push this complex approach to the sport to him.

 

[Guadana]

His IQ will help him draw those players in before passing the puck or help him draw penalties.

He's obviously not going to run towards physical play or be out there to defend a 1
goal lead.

Thanks, very smart mark, how could I not to think about it.

I talked about different aspect of the game of defensemen. Especially if we are talking about defenseman with 1st pair potential/best defensive prospect claim. Which he is not for now. Nor in the league, nor in his club. When mtl fans say the opposite, its wishful thinking. Like when Devils fans say Ceasy is top-3 their prospect or even higher.

For now. Both can develop their game, gain more weight and adapt their strengths and weaknesses.

 

[bigdog16]

It`s great on paper, but what he will do against puck protection and driving the net? On the boards? On the slot? This players aren`t average, they are very successful because they can protect the puck from good sticks. Again, I understand that he is talented player. And absolutely he should be good enough against driving the zone, may be against motion in cycling. But puck battles is a different anymal and for now he isn`t there with his physics. And it really limit his potential. Not like he will never can grow on himself, but what we are having for now - top offensive potential, questionable game under pressure, weak performance under physical pressure. Again, me as a Devils fan, have our own very promising and interesting defensive prospect Seamus Casey. He is very mobile with and without the puck. But again - we can`t put him automatically in top-defensive prospect poll of the league. Both are in one step from being potential top-4 defensemen, but in both cases we have small defensemen who can be pushed out from the puck and poop the bad in important situation. Defense is about defense from the beggining if we are talking about top-4 duties. And both will be push out be a lever of bigger players. If only they can gain leg and lower back muscles and start to win this battles on the lower end of the balance. Both should be average to start to play in top-4. If they will not and will face third lines and pp, than they could even produce a lot of points, but it`s no way an important part of the game.

So both are behind of Sanderson, Nemec, Hughes, Simashev, Jiricek, Reinbacher, Power, Faber, Guhle, Mukhamadullin, Edvinsson(I do not attach importance to the order of these surnames)etc in young defensemen rankings for now. They can be higher but both of them should make a huge step back in physics, in technics of physical parts of the game. Sad but true.

Why do you keep dragging Casey into this. Lane Hutson is a tier or two above him and a significantly better player

Thanks, very smart mark, how could I not to think about it.

I talked about different aspect of the game of defensemen. Especially if we are talking about defenseman with 1st pair potential/best defensive prospect claim. Which he is not for now. Nor in the league, nor in his club. When mtl fans say the opposite, its wishful thinking. Like when Devils fans say Ceasy is top-3 their prospect or even higher.

For now. Both can develop their game, gain more weight and adapt their strengths and weaknesses.

Erik Karlsson is a 1st pair defenseman and is an absolute train wreck defensively

 

[Guadana]

Why do you keep dragging Casey into this. Lane Hutson is a tier or two above him and a significantly better player

Meh. Both are standing in the same room of problems and advantages. One has more of that and less of this. Casey is little better with his physics. His offensive impact may be isn't on the level of Hutson, but he has a lot of good offensive tools and some better defensive awareness. His potential still limit by his physics, small lever and much higher competition in NJ for defensive roster spots.

Erik Karlsson is a 1st pair defenseman and is an absolute train wreck defensively

Nope, he isn't. You should watch more all of this players. I mean games and all of their game situations. And if Casey will find out how overcome physical confrontation and produce more than 65 points, than no one will care about his defensive mistakes. But he will need more than 0.9ppg for being top defenseman. Its not like NHL asking physical aspects of the game in defensive board battles only.

Overall I still think Hutson is very intriguing player, and again I'm just temptin' down with expectations. Because mtl fans especially again and again making the same mistake with overhyping some player, low down the level of others players, and when their players don't bring immidietly what they are waiting for, than they are harsh on their own players. Josh Anderson rumors were fun, Michkov' hate was vocal before the draft, Slafkovsky is a walking bust from some mouthes, even if a lot of top-3 drafted players didn't pan out in recent years, Hutson is the best defensive prospect in the league and way better prospect than Reinbacher etc.

An obvious inadequate assessment and inflated expectations from their own prospects. that is the problem of fanboys culture, which negatively affects the simple perception of hockey of own team, and at the same time spreads to the fans of other teams, causing aggressive disputes. Which in fact manifested itself in this dialogue. None of the fans of other teams say that Hutson is not talented and he has no future in the NHL.

 

[bigdog16]

Meh. Both are standing in the same room of problems and advantages. One has more of that and less of this. Casey is little better with his physics. His offensive impact may be isn't on the level of Hutson, but he has a lot of good offensive tools and some better defensive awareness. His potential still limit by his physics, small lever and much higher competition in NJ for defensive roster spots.

Nope, he isn't. You should watch more all of this players. I mean games and all of their game situations. And if Casey will find out how overcome physical confrontation and produce more than 65 points, than no one will care about his defensive mistakes. But he will need more than 0.9ppg for being top defenseman. Its not like NHL asking physical aspects of the game in defensive board battles only.

Overall I still think Hutson is very intriguing player, and again I'm just temptin' down with expectations. Because mtl fans especially again and again making the same mistake with overhyping some player, low down the level of others players, and when their players don't bring immidietly what they are waiting for, than they are harsh on their own players. Josh Anderson rumors were fun, Michkov' hate was vocal before the draft, Slafkovsky is a walking bust from some mouthes, even if a lot of top-3 drafted players didn't pan out in recent years, Hutson is the best defensive prospect in the league and way better prospect than Reinbacher etc.

An obvious inadequate assessment and inflated expectations from their own prospects. that is the problem of fanboys culture, which negatively affects the simple perception of hockey of own team, and at the same time spreads to the fans of other teams, causing aggressive disputes. Which in fact manifested itself in this dialogue. None of the fans of other teams say that Hutson is not talented and he has no future in the NHL.

I will start by saying I despise Montreal and disagree with you.

To your first paragraph, you are wrong. Hutson is a significantly better player than Casey. If anyone is to succeed at the next level it will be Hutson because of his game breaking offensive ability. You claim that small defenders can't defend, but then go on and claim that Casey can. You are contradicting yourself.

Your response to my second post seems like a bunch of rambling. I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say to be honest.

 

[Xirik]

Why do you keep dragging Casey into this. Lane Hutson is a tier or two above him and a significantly better player


Erik Karlsson is a 1st pair defenseman and is an absolute train wreck defensively

He's a 1st pairing defenseman on the Sharks and had Methot being his partner in Ottawa.

So maybe Hutson could be a "1st pairing defenseman" if they attach him with a good shutdown defenseman. Hopefully not Reinbacher though as that just seems to be a waste.

Perhaps that Engstrom guy that Habs fans like would do it.