First Impressions: Lane Hutson

Montreal's rising star on the back end

Credit: NHL.com

Lane Hutson has arrived—and he’s arguably landed in the perfect situation. No, Montreal isn’t a contender. Far from it. As a rebuilding club, however, it’s well positioned to feed the rookie offensive defenseman plenty of minutes (21:08 TOI/GP) and tolerate his inevitable growing pains.

Moreover, he enters a market that’s been crying out for some sizzle.

Here’s how the 20-year-old dynamo is bringing excitement back to the mecca of hockey (and how he can bring the Habs more than that long-term).

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The Film

• Nice burst out of the starting blocks, but his straight-line speed (75th percentile at his position) isn’t going to wow you. His success is largely predicated on lateral twitchiness.

• Manipulates tempo and creates speed differentials for himself and his teammates, easing off the gas or flooring it when he smells a weakness. If you grant him time and a bit of momentum in the NZ, his vision, instincts and puck skills can unlock your defense on their own:

• As a high-usage blueliner in transition and at the point, his puck play is surprisingly clean. Not spotless, of course, but he possesses reliable hands and a measure of restraint. Among the 81 D-men who have played 4+ games this season, he ranks 68th in giveaways/60 despite his creative tendencies.

• “Less is more” rings in the minds of most first-year rearguards. That mantra shouldn’t apply to Hutson. His touch and accuracy are good yet not world-class. When he enters his shake-and-bake flow state, however, he’s able to snare the opposition’s attention and thus crack open much larger passing windows. He needs the latitude to work his magic.

• Thanks to the dizzying coordination between his feet, head and hands, he’s already as elusive as point men get in the NHL. And just as a boxer mixes up their rhythm to keep opponents honest, his movements vary from miniature tics to sweeping dangles. He doesn’t merely seek out good ice. He hard-sells the opposite direction first and then explodes away in almost Tim Hardaway-like fashion. Unpredictable and extremely difficult to contain 1-on-1:

• While he does throw the kitchen sink at defenders, he keeps his eyes on the big picture too. Off every cut, mohawk, hard stop or spin, he’s scanning for attractive targets across the full width of the OZ.

• Since his buildups are equal parts exhilarating and extended, his offensive impact manifests itself in the quality—not quantity—of chances he creates. Montreal may not rack up a pile of expected goals during his shifts (2.39 xGF/60), but the opportunities that do arise are Grade A+.

• Hutson is…slightly shot-averse at the moment. Among the 114 D-men who have logged 50+ minutes at 5-on-5, he ranks 102nd in attempts/60. Unless there’s a glaring opportunity (e.g. on the rush or with a huge cushion at the point), he appears reluctant to pull the trigger himself. This is something Quinn Hughes (an obvious comparable in terms of skill set) has improved upon in recent years. A more balanced arsenal will raise his five-man unit’s potency.

• Whereas he seems to treat every OZ touch as though it could be his last, that urgency disappears off puck. He’s content to glide in the general vicinity of his DZ assignment and ride out the storm instead of locking in. His diminutive size (5’9”, 162 lbs) only exacerbates this issue.

• When he is on his toes, he showcases sharp anticipation and a better stick than his build would suggest. Has it in him to be a passable defender.

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It’s been a minute since the Habs iced a player who consistently draws fans out of their seats. Their optimism is understandable and, in some ways, justified. Hutson is an immensely gifted albeit flawed freshman.

With a little fine-tuning, he could rank among the top offensive defensemen in the league for the next decade.