The Montreal Canadiens have a gem in defencemen Lane Hutson, and his comments ahead of the Habs matchup against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers only cemented that.
I think most defenders dread the idea of having to match up against McDavid, whether they admit it or not. But for Hutson to openly say he is welcoming the competition and challenge, shows just what this kid is made up of. As a rookie, coming into a league that McDavid dominates in whichever way he wishes, it takes guts to say he is looking forward to seeing how he can limit No.97.
Hutson isn't going to sit there and say that he is worried, but the confidence that he has in himself to try and limit McDavid is impressive. The league's top defenders - Victor Hedman, Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes have all tried to solve McDavid. You can limit his chances and shadow him, but the brilliance of McDavid is that he always finds a way to contribute.
#Habs Lane Hutson on playing against #LetsGoOilers McDavid: "it's definitely going to be cool to see what he can do and try to limit what he can do"
— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) November 18, 2024
For the benefit of the Habs, it would be great if Hutson and the Habs' defence were able to limit McDavid and keep him away from Samuel Montembeault. While it's unlikely, considering this guy scores 100-point seasons in his sleep, it is certainly fun to hear a 20-year-old who is excited to do it.
Generally, a 20-year-old defenseman isn't put into the position to line up against McDavid, but Hutson is a little bit different. The Canadiens are going to choose their matchups wisely, putting Kaiden Guhle and Mike Matheson on the ice. But there is a fair chance that Hutson and David Savard will line up against McJesus at some point.
I keep wondering about his welcome to the NHL moment
Is Hutson likely going to get victimized by a star offensive player? Yes he will, and he has. However, when you consider that he plays in the National Hockey League, you know that every defender gets beat at some point. Hutson has played close to 20 minutes a night since game one, which tells you the kind of work he has done.
No offence to David Savard, though he is a stay-at-home defender; he is not going to win many foot races. He has been a heaven-sent to pair with Hutson, but it does put pressure on Hutson if a footrace emerges. This means that not only has he played quite a bit, but he has had to be on his toes.
Hutson has been hit hard and forced to turn the puck over, but he gets right back up and gives it his 100 % right after. Seldom does he leave himself exposed to get stapled to the boards. And the amount of time he has with the puck during the game, it's quite impressive that he often comes away with a slick play on both sides of the puck.