The Canadiens have a rare gem in their organization and he could become a MAJOR steal for the club

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MarcO
November 20, 2022 (5:07 PM)

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The Montreal Canadiens have built a defensive squad with a very promising future in the last few years and we have to admit that with three rookie defencemen already in the lineup, this defence will be good for a long time.

Of course, watching Kaiden Guhle's play, it's clear that the club already has its top horse to lead the defensive group. Add to that Jordan Harris and Arber Xhekaj, who will be two solid backs in both directions of the ice.

Don't forget Justin Barron, who has the offensive flair and skating ability to be a top-4 defenceman in the years to come. Logan Mailloux also has the potential to be a beast offensively, thanks to his devastating shot. He will definitely be an interesting piece of the puzzle in the near future.

However, the rare gem of the organization has yet to be introduced and I am certainly talking about Lane Hutson. Lane Hutson is the prototypical next generation defenseman, being ultra offensive and fluid like a ballerina on the ice, with a skating stroke that is already among the NHL's elite. He is destined to become the centerpiece of the CH's offense for years to come.

His one and only flaw is his small size.

Strangely enough, we've already heard this flaw with another young player in the organization, who is currently becoming a star in the NHL. I'm talking about Cole Caufield. Did the Habs do the right thing by focusing on pure talent versus size? Absolutely!

Talk about the Flyers, who turned their nose up at number 22 in the 2019 draft and just yesterday, he made them pay for their monumental blunder with two goals.

Hutson has that same profile that Caufield had back then, a diamond in the rough that just needs to be polished so he can shine in the NHL with a small frame.

Like the Tricolore's maverick, the 18-year-old has always faced bigger guys during his young hockey career and has consistently risen to the challenge with flying colours, continually pushing the envelope.

His coach and former NHLer, Jay Pandolfo, has no concerns about Hutson's adaptation to the next level.

He's only played nine games and already his defensive game is improving every time. He knows he's going to play against bigger guys, but he's really good at taking the right trajectory. He has a good stick that allows him to separate the player from the puck. He closes the gap quickly with the forwards, he's smart and takes advantage of it" - Jay Pandolfo

Pandolfo was full of praise for the Boston University Terriers' No. 20's play, saying he had never seen a player play like him.

He's almost like a point guard in basketball. He breaks his opponents' ankles. I've never seen anyone play like him really. It's amazing what he does to others with his feints, his footwork, his intelligence. It's really a pleasure to watch him go." - Jay Pandolfo

After 11 NCAA games, the 62nd overall pick of the CH continues to surprise, with a record of four goals and 12 points. He also scored a beautiful goal to give his team the win in overtime yesterday.

Not to put Hutson in the same discussion as the NHL's best defenceman right now in Cale Makar, but even he didn't have those stats as an 18-year-old in the NCAA, when he finished his first college season with five goals and 21 points in 34 games.

The best part is that Hutson's growth isn't over yet, as he's gained an inch and a dozen pounds since attending the CH's development camp last July.

He is the real gem of the organization and could become a major steal for the Habs in the years to come when he reaches the NHL.

Credit: Marqueur.com