Scott Wheeler confirms a major steal pulled off by Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens

During a recent episode of The Athletic's podcast, Scott Wheeler, a renowned NHL prospects analyst, made a statement about Lane Hutson.

According to the site DansLesCoulisses, the young Canadiens defenseman is considered the second-best defenseman of the 2022 NHL Draft, according to Wheeler.

In fact, only Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils ranks ahead of the Canadiens prospect, and it's fair to say that the 2022 draft was a strong one for defensemen, with names like David Jiricek, Seamus Casey, and Tristan Luneau all selected before Hutson.

Scott Wheeler believes the Canadiens pulled off a steal with Lane Hutson in 2022

Additionally, other prospects, such as Pavel Mintyukov with the Anaheim Ducks and Kevin Korchinski with the Chicago Blackhawks, who were also picked before the small American defenseman, already have a season of NHL experience.

It's worth remembering that the Canadiens selected Hutson at the end of the second round, 62nd overall, a pick they acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Brett Kulak.

In reality, Wheeler identifies only one significant weakness in Lane Hutson's game; his defensive play. He's eager to see how Hutson performs against top competition on defense as early as this season.

Furthermore, Wheeler ranked Hutson as his fifth favorite to win the Calder Trophy, which speaks volumes about the regard he holds for the young Canadiens defenseman.

At this point, it's still unknown whether Lane Hutson will start the season with the Canadiens or the Laval Rocket. Even if he begins in the AHL, it's likely that we'll see him in Montreal before long.

To listen to the full episode of The Athletic Hockey Show, click HERE.

Source: DansLesCoulissesLane Hutson: deuxième meilleur défenseur de son repêchage, selon Scott Wheeler

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