Hughes may strike gold with the Jets' pick, drafting a familiar name

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Elias Edmonson
April 26, 2024 (2:05 PM)

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With the draft approaching quickly, people will start to analyze who the Canadiens might select.

Regardless of the pick owned by the Canadiens, which will be clarified at the lottery, the Canadiens will have 11 other selections during this draft, including another one at the end of the first round. This second first-round pick could very well bring together the brother of another player on the team, namely Cole Hutson.

Sean Monahan trade with the Jets: will their first-round pick become Cole Hutson for the Canadiens? A familiar name available for Kent Hughes

Indeed, Lane's younger brother is expected to be picked at the end of the first round. His goal, as he mentioned to TVA Sports last December, is to avenge his brother who, according to him, was picked much too late in his draft year.

TVA Sports - Lane Hutson's brother is thirsty for vengeance

"For the whole family, it has become a personal matter, Cole told over the phone. He [Lane] deserved to be picked much earlier. I hope to avenge what happened to him. My goal is to be drafted in the first round." - Cole Hutson

The 17-year-old defenseman will join Boston University, the team for which Lane played, starting next season after having played for the American program. He has been more successful than his brother in terms of points at this level, having, as of April 25, accumulated 108 points with the program. That's 18 more than Lane and only 3 less than the program's top defenseman, J.D. Forrest.

Cole, who is currently representing the United States at the World Under-18 Championship, even scored the first goal of the competition.

It seems, according to what user Gabriel Foley from the X platform reports, who covers prospects for Recruit Scouting, that the Canadiens have an eye on the younger brother. The journalist could very well see Kent Hughes calling his name in the second or third round.

Nick Fohr, who is the coach of the American program, states that the two defensemen are a carbon copy, not only in their height of 5'10", but also in their approach to the game

"They are different from normal players," marvels Fohr. "They are so good at setting traps for opposing players and being unpredictable. They can change direction so quickly, and it makes life difficult for those trying to stop them. They use head fakes, they fake shots, passes... They position their hands deceptively. They are so good, and they do all this so quickly. Opponents aren't used to being played like this. There are very few players who can do that." - Nick Fohr

It will be interesting to see if Cole will win his bet of being selected in the first round.

For fun, I simulated a lottery on the excellent siteTankathon". In addition to getting the overall first pick, Macklin Celebrini, the simulation gave the Canadiens, with the Jets' pick, none other than Cole Hutson.