I'm sure there was more than one Montreal Canadiens fan who turned on their televisions over the holidays and wondered how they missed that the Habs loaned Lane Hutson to Team USA for the World Junior Championship. They'd soon find out that it wasn't Lane at all, but instead, it was his brother Cole Hutson who stole the show for the Americans this year. A year after Lane won World Junior Gold with USA, his brother replicated the feat to give the country their first back-to-back championship.
David Carle on Cole Hutson, the first D to ever lead the tournament in scoring:
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) January 6, 2025
“Very dynamic. I mean, great plays, attacking. We asked him to kind of rein it in a little bit even. In the first couple games, him and Z just a little too much at times, and our balance on the ice…
Lane showed his potential last year at the tournament when he recorded six points in seven games. It wasn't his offensive output in college, but he was still a top-American player. Cole followed in his brother's footsteps as he took over the Hutson name bar at Boston University this season and did the same with the U20 team. However, Cole's offensive performance at the World Juniors bested his brother.
Cole became the first defenseman in history to singularly lead the tournament in scoring, recording three goals and eight assists in seven games. None of his scoring was more important than his goal to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining in the second period, leading to the Americans winning on a Teddy Stiga overtime winner.
USA TIES IT AGAIN 👀
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2025
Cole Hutson breaks in and wires one home to make it 3-3 late in the 2nd period.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/EHzidbbu8L
Hutson was held scoreless in just two games, ironically against two of the weaker teams in the tournament, Switzerland and Latvia. He stepped up in the American's biggest games, recording a goal and an assist in both the gold medal game and the New Year's Eve matchup with Team Canada.
Cole Hutson is disgusting. Been the best player on the ice so far. What a goal. That’s 1 🇺🇸
— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) January 1, 2025
It isn't just how Cole Hutson steps up on offense that makes him a clone of his brother. He looks like the same player on the ice. They have the same skating stride, moves at the attacking blueline, and ability to use their legs to impact the game at both ends of the ice. It isn't all that surprising since they are brothers, but rarely do you see siblings who resemble themselves on the ice so much.
Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are great players, but you can easily tell them apart on the ice. It wasn't easy to tell Henrik and Daniel Sedin apart, but their playing styles differed vastly. Cole Hutson will eventually turn pro, and when he does and plays against the Canadiens and Lane, it'll be like watching the same player on both ends of the ice. It could take some time to become reality, but we will all be seated to watch when it does.