Five Prospects The Montreal Canadiens Need To Get Signed ASAP

Lane Hutson

The biggest fish the Canadiens need to get signed this offseason is Lane Hutson. He was the team's second round pick, 62nd overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. The young defenseman is an exceptional skater and unbelievable offensive creator that has the potential to change the fortunes of the Canadiens in the next couple of years.

He has been unstoppable at the college level for the past two seasons. As a freshman, he scored 15 goals and 48 points in 39 games for Boston University. This season, his second with the Terriers, he has 13 goals and 46 points in 35 games.

More impressive than the actual numbers are his ability to elude defenders with ridiculously quick change of direction with the puck and edgework on his skates that often leaves defenders falling out of theirs.

There is plenty of time for the Canadiens to get Hutson signed as they hold his rights until the summer of 2026 before they would lose his rights, but they want this player playing pro hockey as soon as possible. Sending him back to dominate college hockey for a third consecutive season makes no sense, and he has the skill to be a player who jumps directly into the Canadiens lineup next season.

It is imperative that the Canadiens get Hutson signed this summer and start to develop him at the pro level. He has shown in two years that he is excellent offensively at the NCAA level and can handle himself defensively just fine as well.

The Canadiens need to get him signed and there is no reason to believe this will be a problem so it is time to start the clock on Hutson's upcoming lengthy pro career.