Lane Hutson was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the 62nd overall selection in the 2022 NHL draft. He fell that far in the draft because he was only 5’9″ when he was drafted (though he’s reportedly already grown an inch). However, despite his slight frame, he’s already proven he can put a team on his back, just like he did on Saturday, scoring two goals, including the overtime winner to win the Hockey East title for Boston University (BU).
Lane Hutson scores his second of the night to clinch the Hockey East Championship for the Terriers! @TerrierHockey | @hockey_east pic.twitter.com/RvE83PrGjH
— NESN (@NESN) March 19, 2023
It was all too perfect for Hutson to be the one to win it for BU, as the Canadiens prospect has been the best Terrier all season. Hutson has led his team in scoring all year long, making history along the way. With 47 points on the year, Hutson is the first player under 19 years of age to score this many points since NHL Hall of Famer Brian Leetch. And while Leetch was impressive in his own right, he was actually 5th in team scoring that year, well behind notable NHLers like Kevin Stevens and Craig Janney. Hutson finished first in team scoring. A freshman defenseman should not be doing this, and yet, here he is, dominating the league.
It’s been well documented on this site just how good Lane Hutson has been this season, but the fact that he has continued to dominate as the sample size grows larger and larger is exciting. From the moment he was drafted, the defenseman has turned heads, showcasing his elite skill without the puck. And as expected, the points, the talent, it’s all led to much-deserved accolades.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Lane Hutson is the Hockey East Rookie of the Year!#ProudToBU pic.twitter.com/OZUraaCgyq
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) March 15, 2023
It’s unlikely Hutson will turn pro after this season despite the strong performance. The Canadiens likely want him to continue to refine his skill before jumping to a more challenging league. Unfortunately, this means that Canadiens fans will have to wait another year before their future powerplay QB arrives. But that’s not so bad. It worked for Cole Caufield, and it looks like Sean Farrell, who could sign after his season is over, benefitted from it too. It’s hard not to get excited about what Hutson brings to the table. He’s a talent Montreal has needed for quite some time.
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