(Detroit) It was just training. This is not where a Stanley Cup is won. Neither is a Norris Trophy. But Lane Hutson could hardly hope to make a better impression on his teammates. Or at least half of them.
It was a tie between the reds and the whites at the end of an exercise. A player had to go for a shootout in order to break the tie, and it was Hutson, a few hours before his first game in the National League, who was chosen for the reds. On a shorter route than usual, he took out his Sunday hands and slipped the puck between Cayden Primeau’s legs.
Tanner Pearson then executed for the whites, in vain, confirming the victory of the reds, who immediately surrounded the newcomer.
“I guess they picked me because I’m the youngest,” Hutson said at his locker after practice.
Cole Caufield, member of the Reds, had found his smile again, after being in a foul mood on Saturday in Ottawa. “Looks like he stole Gallagher’s feint!” It was quite a feint!, joked the little winger.
“We chose him because it was his first training,” continued Caufield. He better get used to it, it’s going to happen a lot! »
Thus continued Hutson’s integration into his new group. He signed his contract on Friday and joined the team on Sunday in Detroit. Sunday evening, teammates took him out for dinner. David Savard, Samuel Montembeault and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, the same people who invited Joshua Roy to New York in January, once again formed the welcoming committee. Another Quebecer was added, Mike Matheson, as well as Joel Armia, another guy whose flag is blue and white (we do our best to find links).
It’s having fun with him. It’s the little things that make the difference. We try to go to dinner with him, to invite him into everything we do. By doing this, he will feel like he is part of the team.
David Savard
“When you feel like you’re part of it, you play better on the ice. That’s always been our goal here. He will be a big part of our future and if we do that well, he will feel good on the ice. »
The big Brother
While the resurfacer did her work, Hutson and Harvey-Pinard, his friend from yesterday’s dinner, were part of a quintet of players sitting at the bench, eager to jump on the ice for practice.
The young man did the usual laps of the ice rink, with Stéphane Robidas as the main interlocutor. The defensive backs coach spoke to Hutson at length before the session.
Then, when the duet exercises began, he was paired with Savard. Without much surprise, because Savard is seen as the mentor of defenders, but also because this heavy rear, with a rough style, not exactly the fastest, practices a style the opposite of Hutson, fluid skater, dynamic offensively, but still very puny at 158 lbs., according to NHL documents.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
David Savard
“Savvy is another coach. He is capable of teaching, helping and calming the player,” recalled Martin St-Louis.
It’s excellent. He’s done everything, he’s been in the league a long time. I know he will help me.
Lane Hutson, about David Savard
Savard, for his part, recalled the importance of not stuffing the 20-year-old’s head. “If there are too many, you start thinking too much. It’s a natural talent. We’re going to let him do his things, we’re going to supervise him and if I see things, I’m going to tell him. But if we play our collective game well, we will see his talents emerge. »
Savard will also have to ensure that his young partner is not too dazzled. Growing up in the Chicago area, he idolized the Blackhawks, especially a certain Patrick Kane, who now wears Wings colors. Hutson’s reaction (at 1:00 p.m. in the video) didn’t lie.
“It’s special,” Hutson admitted. I’ve been watching it my whole life. He is a winner who has won several Cups. But I hope he doesn’t win tonight. »
Kane probably sees things differently, since the Red Wings essentially play their season on Monday night.
Guhle still absent
Jayden Struble will be left aside to allow Hutson to join the lineup. In practice, he teamed up with Kaiden Guhle, who will miss a sixth straight game with an upper-body injury.
Samuel Montembeault will defend the Montreal net.
Read Mathais Brunet’s post “Lane Hutson in the footsteps of Caufield or Farrell? »