LD Lane Hutson - Montreal Canadiens, NHL (2022, 62nd, MTL) - Part 2

[DJJones]

So any updates on him? Seems like he's bound to be an elite rover/3D

 

[Frank Drebin]

So any updates on him? Seems like he's bound to be an elite rover/3D

a lot has changed in the week since that fateful toronto game. looking more tyson barrie than Quinn hughes.

Might have to wait it out to see what happens. should know for sure in 10 days

 

[Sam de Mtl]

a lot has changed in the week since that fateful toronto game. looking more tyson barrie than Quinn hughes.

Might have to wait it out to see what happens

He is definitely struggling a little bit defensively at the moment. He is a rookie though. If anything, struggling defensively as a young player makes him more similar to Quinn Hughes.

He is on a tremendous path, but a little slow down was to be expected. He is still quite good in most areas of the game despite the lull.

 

[Frank Drebin]

He is definitely struggling a little bit defensively at the moment. He is a rookie though. If anything, struggling defensively as a young player makes him more similar to Quinn Hughes.

He is on a tremendous path, but a little slow down was to be expected. He is still quite good in most areas of the game despite the lull.

it was more of a facetious comment on how quickly young players career trajectories can change. Or at least the perception of them

 

[My3Sons]

The game is effortless for him when in transition or on offense. It’s a high effort game for him to defend. He can do it but it’s a lot of work for him. He will improve of course over time.

 

[CaviarAndRinkFries]

 

[Boxscore]

Hutson is 50 games into his NHL career and is already slightly better defensively than E. Karlsson and Q. Hughes were 50 games into theirs. Due to his size, Lane will never be a killer, but with experience, he'll learn all the tricks to defend and anticipate better in his own end. His compete level, confidence, and IQ are already high-end.

 

[Gillings]

He is not "definitely above average defensively" tho.

There is really nothing based in reality to suggest he is, and a TON to suggest he is very far below average.

His competition, is again, nothing special or out of the ordinary to suggest it is skewing his numbers. He isn't sheltered, but he certainly isn't playing the toughest minutes either.

His defensive results are all very similar to Erik Karlsson. And, like Karlsson, he makes up for his poor defense by being elite offensively. And that's okay because he is elite offensively.

But when you start lying and pretending these defensively poor, offensively elite dmen are actually good defensively, you lose a ton of credibility.

He’s a 20 year old Rookie on arguably one of the worst teams in the league the past few years, leading ALL rookies in points, playing Top Pair minutes every single night with next to no fatigue. He IS above average defensively in his own end. There are several other top pairing veteran Dmen who make more mistakes than lane and have less points.

 

[dgibb10]

He’s a 20 year old Rookie on arguably one of the worst teams in the league the past few years, leading ALL rookies in points, playing Top Pair minutes every single night with next to no fatigue. He IS above average defensively in his own end. There are several other top pairing veteran Dmen who make more mistakes than lane and have less points.

It's always a great sign when your argument for why he is above average defensively contains virtually no actual points about defense.

It's always: "he's young, he scores a lot of points, he plays a lot of minutes. Therefore conclusion he is actually good at defense"

 

[Boxscore]

Today, as a puppy, Lane Hutson is average or adequate defensively in his own end. And this is evaluating his gaps, man-to-man battles, physical strength, decision-making, and savvy. Here's the thing... all of these instances will improve, some vastly. However, if we consider his puck control, play driving, skating, offensive toolkit, and sublime hockey IQ... Hutson is a massive win, all things considered.

Do people not remember how reckless E. Karlsson and Q. Hughes were as rookies? My goodness, there were games where Karlsson looked like he was playing beer league out there.

We also have to be fair when critiquing Hutson's defensive zone play or coverage. I recently watched Mo Seider, Cale Makar, and Zach Werenski make horrific plays under pressure... this comes with the job... and Hutson's gaffes shouldn't be magnified because we're looking to find fault in his game. Even greats like Lidstrom, Bourque, and Zubov made some terrible plays on D. It happens to the greatest... and Hutson is far from a train wreck out there.

I challenge anyone to mark down his "bad" plays and his "good" plays each game and I'm willing to bet the latter wins out 6-to-1.

 

[dgibb10]

Today, as a puppy, Lane Hutson is average or adequate defensively in his own end. And this is evaluating his gaps, man-to-man battles, physical strength, decision-making, and savvy. Here's the thing... all of these instances will improve, some vastly. However, if we consider his puck control, play driving, skating, offensive toolkit, and sublime hockey IQ... Hutson is a massive win, all things considered.

Do people not remember how reckless E. Karlsson and Q. Hughes were as rookies? My goodness, there were games where Karlsson looked like he was playing beer league out there.

We also have to be fair when critiquing Hutson's defensive zone play or coverage. I recently watched Mo Seider, Cale Makar, and Zach Werenski make horrific plays under pressure... this comes with the job... and Hutson's gaffes shouldn't be magnified because we're looking to find fault in his game. Even greats like Lidstrom, Bourque, and Zubov made some terrible plays on D. It happens to the greatest... and Hutson is far from a train wreck out there.

I challenge anyone to mark down his "bad" plays and his "good" plays each game and I'm willing to bet the latter wins out 6-to-1.

When Lane Hutson is on the ice, the opposing team weirdly, somehow, just so happens to get an absolute boatload of shots, chances, high danger chances, and goals.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

From my viewing on Saturday he looked super scary in transition and in the O-zone. He looked lost in his own end, turned the puck over numerous times and made a bunch of questionable reads. He'll learn to be better in his own end but he didn't look even close to average defensively to me.
I fully understand and acknowledge this was a single game and it may have been just an off night for him, but that's what I saw on Saturday.

At least he seems to be willing to learn how to be better in his own end and looks like he doesn't just want to rely on putting up points to stay in the league.

 

[Ford Prefect]

XGA and HDCA are two stats. They are very easy to understand.

Evolving-Hockey

evolving-hockey.com

This might help you

Thank you. It sure helped me.

 

[Boxscore]

I fully understand and acknowledge this was a single game and it may have been just an off night for him, but that's what I saw on Saturday.

Even as a rookie D, Hutson is averaging the 2nd most TOI/g on the Habs at 22:37... that's impressive. If he was as bad as some say, he'd be stapled to the bench except for PPs lol.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Even as a rookie D, Hutson is averaging the 2nd most TOI/g on the Habs at 22:37... that's impressive. If he was as bad as some say, he'd be stapled to the bench except for PPs lol.

I agree, in that game he was good in the O-zone and okay in the neutral zone but clearly needs work in his own end.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

He came as advertised when I saw him against Detroit last week.

... Which is to say he got completely clowned defensively.

 

[Xirik]

As I said earlier in this thread Hutson is going to get tired with the insane amount of time he is playing each game. The four nations cup might allow him to rest a bit but I think from now till the end of the season he's not going to have as many "amazing" moments. He'll probably coast like most rookies do when exposed to the long NHL season.