Corey Pronman ruffles some feathers with Lane Hutson analysis

Montreal Canadiens fans have joined forces in their dislike of Corey Pronman's recent article with The Athletic.

Pronman, who is revered for his prospect and under 23 player analysis articles, has never been one to shy away from sharing strong opinions, Sometimes, actually most times, he releases some articles with takes that very few are completely on board with. Hockey writing, more specifically player analysis, while fact-based does include the individual's opinion.

Sharing your opinion with the public gives everybody and anybody a chance to respond to it, and Pronman's latest take is one that many are bothered about. Pronman released his annual top NHL players and prospects under 23 years old. Lane Hutson is still very early in his career, at the halfway point of his rookie season, but his potential doesn't look like anything less than a top-pair defenseman.

The potential is only important if it is reached, but it is heavily relied upon in amateur scouting. Hutson indeed has a lot of runway to go to solidify himself as a number-one defender. But I would argue that other than Kaiden Guhle and Mike Matheson, there isn't a player more deserving of a spot on the top defence pair. Hutson has abilities, and the confidence to do things that just a select few NHL defenders can do, and he is just 20 years old and 43 games into his NHL career.

Hutson will not reach his best in his first season, and probably not even two or three seasons. Young players don't come into the league at their best and just be elite players from the outset. I suppose Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid are the two most recent guys who were elite right away, but that is three players over the last 20 years.

Hutson is only going to get better, faster and stronger, but I think that he already has proven that he is more than a top-four defenseman in the NHL. This guy is an elite talent with the puck on his stick, and when he combines his all-world skating with it, he is hard to defend against. On the other side of the coin, Hutson defends particularly well, despite his size because of how smart he is.

He is flashy for sure, but he is responsible with the puck and ultra-competitive; it's not as though he showboats. Hutson makes the play that is needed each time, and that is how he has earned Martin St Louis's trust. On the power play, he has forced Marty's hand to put him in the quarterback role.

Matheson dazzles against the UTAH Hockey Club

The Montreal Canadiens are back on the road, with a matchup against the Utah Hockey Club. Down 1-0 early in the opening frame of the period, the Habs were pressing for a goal. Mike Matheson, as he often does, took the puck for a skate through the neutral zone, but didn't stop there, dazzling Utah for a beautiful tally.

Seldom does an NHL defence expect that an opposing defender is going to carry the puck up ice, and challenge them at their blueline. Matheson did just that, and scored one of the prettiest goals, looking like Connor McDavid out there. Very few players have the combination of skill and confidence to do what Matheson did, and even fewer defenders.