With the recent departures of defensemen Johnathan Kovacevic and Jordan Harris, the chances of prospect Lane Hutson earning a spot on the Montreal Canadiens’ blue line have significantly increased.
But despite his impressive NHL debut and the overwhelming support from fans, there’s still a possibility that the American prospect might spend some time in the minors during the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Speaking with Tony Marinaro on BPM Sports on Tuesday, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes discussed the 20-year-old’s role going forward, revealing that a stint with the Laval Rocket could be in the cards.
“I don’t want to hide Lane Hutson… we want Lane Hutson to turn into the best defenceman that he can become. If he needs to improve his game and he’s better off in the AHL, we’ll send him to Laval,” Hughes said in French.
The GM also noted that he doesn’t want the young defender’s offensive upside to hinder his overall development.
“We won’t keep him in the NHL just to turn him into a power play specialist.”
After being drafted 62nd overall by the Canadiens in 2022, Hutson quickly emerged as one of the team’s most promising prospects. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound defenceman made waves at Boston University, tallying 49 points (15 goals, 34 assists) in 39 games during the 2023-24 season.
Upon concluding his college career and winning gold at the World Juniors with Team USA, the Massachusetts native, whose smooth skating has drawn comparisons to elite NHLers, suited up for the final two games of Montreal’s season, where he logged two assists.
As one of the two players representing the organization at the 14th annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase, Huston will compete for a permanent NHL spot among a sea of young defensive prospects when the Canadiens hold their annual training camp next month.