After his team was eliminated from the NCAA Frozen Four on Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens wasted no time signing defensive prospect Lane Hutson to a contract.
Though Canadiens fans spent much of the morning and early afternoon wondering whether or not Hutson would sign, it was less than 24 hours after his college season ended before Hutson chose to turn pro.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman announced on Friday afternoon that Hutson would be joining the Canadiens, with contract details later confirmed by the team as a three-year deal.
Lane Hutson is indeed joining the Montreal Canadiens
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 12, 2024
Chris Johnston added that Hutson will join the team before Monday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Lane Hutson has signed his entry-level contract with the #habs after having his NCAA season end with BU. He'll officially join the team in a couple days when it swings through Detroit.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 12, 2024
With Hutson’s Boston University Terriers side getting bounced in overtime of the Frozen Four NCAA national semifinal on Thursday evening, he became free to sign his NHL entry level contract.
Taken by Montreal in the second round of the 2022 Draft (62nd overall), many analysts have already deemed the dynamic puck-moving blueliner a stud for the Habs. He’d be the third member of the 2022 draft class to make his NHL debut for the Canadiens, following in the footsteps of Juraj Slafkovsky and Owen Beck, taken at first and 33rd overall, respectively.
A Hobey Baker award finalist, Hutson has dominated the NCAA with Boston University for the past two seasons. Coming off a campaign that saw him net 15 goals and 49 points over 38 games, along with a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 World Juniors, the Michigan native appears NHL-ready.
With only a handful of games remaining on Montreal’s schedule, Hutson, 20, is expected to make his debut with the Habs over the coming days.
However, suiting up for them before the 2024-25 campaign will, in turn, burn the first year of his three-year deal.
The Canadiens have three games left in the regular season: Saturday and Monday on the road against Ottawa and Detroit, before returning to the Bell Centre on Tuesday for the team’s final home date of the 2023-24 campaign.
More to come…
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