Since we’ve been talking about it, it’s now a fact: Lane Hutson will finish the season with the Canadian.
The young left-handed defender has agreed with the Canadian on the terms of a three-year entry contract.
The elimination of the Boston University Terriers on Thursday in the semifinals of the end-of-season NCAA championship ended his season at the university level. According to local media, the general manager of the Canadian, Kent Hughes, also went to Minnesota to attend the match. It should be noted that Hughes’ youngest son, Jack, also wears the Terriers colors. The Habs also had three other hopefuls in the final four of the tournament, including Luke Tuch, also a member of the Terriers.
Hutson will be able to use up the first year of his entry-level contract even if he will only play two games at best. This is also what Ryan Poehling did before him in 2019 and Charlie Lindgren in 2016, playing one match each. More recently, Jordan Harris, Cole Caufield and Sean Farrell had also done this, but they had arrived at the Habs earlier in the season; they had each had time to play a few matches – ten for Harris and Caufield, six for Farrell.
In doing so, Hutson will therefore be able to sign his second contract more quickly, at the end of the 2025-2026 season.
Hutson arrives after a storied collegiate career at Boston University. In two seasons, the athlete amassed 97 points in 77 games. Both times, he was one of 10 athletes nominated for the Hobey-Baker Trophy, awarded to the NCAA player of the year. However, he was never one of the three finalists.
He was also named to the Hockey East division first all-star team both years.
Hutson also competed in the last two World Junior Championships, helping the United States win gold this year and bronze last year. He also played in the Senior World Championship in 2023.
His offensive capabilities therefore leave no doubt. However, questions will remain about his defensive game, particularly because of his size. According to the latest data from Boston University, Hutson weighs 162 lbs. In the NHL this season, only three players are underweight, all forwards. Among the defensemen, Jared Spurgeon, of the Wild, is the only one under 170 lbs, or 166 lbs.
Hutson’s signing having been announced less than 24 hours after his final university game, played in Minnesota, it is not surprising that he did not join the Habs in Ottawa, where the club will play this Saturday . The young man will instead get to know his teammates on Sunday evening in Detroit.
Barring a major surprise, he will play the two remaining matches on the CH schedule, Monday in Detroit and Tuesday in Montreal. If no Montreal defender is injured Saturday against the Senators, Justin Barron should automatically be transferred to the Laval Rocket, since he is the subject of an emergency recall. If, by chance, Kaiden Guhle was ready to return to the game, he who is nursing an “upper body” injury, a player will have to give up his place to open a position for Hutson.