Promising Lane Hutson targets Cale Makar and nothing less
Many believe that the CH committed a major theft during the last draft by selecting defenseman Lane Hutson with the 62nd pick. If he was ignored by many because of his small size (5 feet 9 inches), he could very well make them rage in the very near future.
After playing two seasons with the American Development Team in the USHL, he made the jump to the NCAA this season with Boston University. According to an excellent article by Anthony Martineau on TVA Sports, he is now the league's highest scoring defenseman (17 in 14, 1.21).
Many people also see Hutson filling a position that the CH has so often lacked in the next few years, that of quarterback on the power play. Let's face it, since the departure of Andrei Markov, few have been able to replace him. Hutson, with his own style of play, could very well be the solution.
The 18 year old has big ambitions. Not only does he see himself in the NHL, he also thinks he can reach the level of excellence of Cale Makar.
That's a pretty big statement when you consider that the Colorado Avalanche defenseman recently became the fastest defenseman in NHL history to amass 200 points (in 195 games).
Think Hutson is exaggerating in his comparisons? Compare his stats with Makar's and you'll see. We said above that he currently averages 1.21 points/game in the NCAA. At the same age and in the same league, Makar posted a 0.60 points/game ratio. That's more than double that of the last Norris Trophy winner and Conn Smythe.
On Monday, Hutson was named to the U.S. preliminary team for the upcoming World Junior Championship. He will, barring a huge surprise, be on the team heading to Halifax and Moncton over the upcoming holiday season.
The CH prospect was also named the NCAA Eastern Defenseman of the Month for the second consecutive month.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Lane Hutson will become an NHL star defenseman? | ||
| Yes | 128 | 80 % |
| No | 32 | 20 % |
| List of polls | ||
