Lane Hutson continues to score

Lane Hutson is a Montreal Canadien, and that means that each time the team plays, it's another opportunity for him to do incredible things with the puck.

Hutson hasn't scored goals at the rate that he did in college, but his playmaking skills are already amongst the best on the Habs. The way he finds open ice and makes lightning-quick decisions is at an elite level and causes problems all over the ice for the opposition. if you're on the ice with him, you best keep your head up and your stick on the ice, he will find you.

I have no clue how he does it, but the fact that he pulls the things off that he does truly attests to his brilliance. It is not normal to witness a rookie defenseman doing the things that Hutson does. Some players make fantastic highlight reel players, here and there, and then the ones who are the elite. Players that routinely do things that others can't or wouldn't do, have confidence in themselves that you either have or you don't.

Hutson makes a handful of plays each game, and only one or two materializes into anything. Once those passes are caught or those open lanes exploited more regularly, Hutson's point total will climb even quicker. Routinely making difficult passes look easy is no easy task, and Hutson does it as well as anybody on the Habs,

On Tuesday night against the Utah Hockey Club, Hutson was once again up to his old tricks, factoring on two of the Habs' three goals through two periods. Hutson's first assist of the night came on the opening goal for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield and Hutson played pass before Hutson connected with a streaking Mike Matheson for a beautiful end-to-end goal.

His second assist of the game, and 31st of the season, was even prettier than the first one. Hutson entered the zone and sat at the top waiting for a streaking Kirby Dach, who he hit with a sweet pass on his strong side. Dach finished off the play with a gorgeous finish on the backhand, showing off his slick puck skills.

With a period left to play, Hutson has 20 more minutes to do something else, which is likely, because he just pulls a rabbit out the hat on a moment's notice. If the Canadiens need a spark, Hutson provides one before it ever gets too dire. The team, management, fanbases and even some other fans love Hutson and what he brings to the Canadiens,

Matheson and Hutson connected on a nice passing play, and Caufield deflected a Hutson shot for his 24th of the season. Hutson recorded his third point of the game, and Matheson added his second point of the night. If he keeps this up, he will challenge Chris Chelios rookie defenseman scoring record (64 points).

Hutson trailing only Chris Chelios

Chris Chelios scored 30 assists through the first 38 games of his rookie season with the Canadiens in 1984-85. Hutson joined him in reaching 30 assists, doing so in five more games. Chelios ended the season with the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year. There is still plenty of season to play, but adding another accolade to his hockey resume would be a typical Lane Hutson thing to do.

At the time of this article's completion, which matched with the end of the Canadiens game, Hutson sits at 35 points (32 assists and three goals). He is in the thick of a battle with Matvei Michkov and Macklin Celebrini for the rookie crown. It will come down to the wire, and I expect that the trio will put on a show.

Hutson's contribution to the debate was a three-point game against the Hockey Club, which also helped the Habs to a 5-3 win.