It’s all well and good to have a promising rookie like Lane Hutson, but if we don’t give him the chance to show what he can do, we risk slowing down his progress.
At the moment, Martin St-Louis seems to be slowing down the momentum of this young talent who could fight for the Calder Trophy. Instead of giving him a key role, we let him stagnate on the second wave of the power play, while the first wave struggles to generate anything.
St-Louis knows it, however: the power play is a weak point of the team.
He mentioned it this week: “We’re at a point where we need to take more time on the power play.”
We understand that he wants to solidify this unit, but why not place Hutson on the first wave, where he could really make the difference?
Even Mike Matheson, who currently leads the first wave, admits Hutson’s exceptional qualities.
“The way he controls the puck is really special, but also the way he can get the puck back after we lose it.”
Everyone sees this potential, but until Hutson is propelled onto the first wave, it’s just empty words.
It’s like having a race car, but keeping it in the garage. What’s the point of praising Hutson’s qualities if we don’t give him the chance to fully exploit them?
Meanwhile, the supporters are growing impatient. The first power play unit is sorely lacking in efficiency and the missed opportunities are starting to weigh on the Bell Center crowd.
Last year, the power play performances were often disappointing, and this season, the scenario seems to be repeating itself.
Still, Matheson made it clear that this season they were going to “take more time on the power play.”
So why not join Hutson, who has the potential to change everything?
While other young talents, like Matvei Michkov, are already positioning themselves as favorites for the Calder by playing in the first wave, Hutson is left in the background.
Michkov has the keys to the game in Philadelphia, while Hutson remains confined to a secondary role. If we want the CH defender to be able to stand out and compete for the Calder, he must play a leading role, and that starts by leading the first wave of the power play.
The wait becomes unbearable for the supporters. With each unsuccessful numerical advantage, the tension rises.
If Hutson doesn’t earn his spot quickly, this caution could not only harm his development, but also impact the entire team.
Martin St-Louis may say that “every case is different” and that “all decisions calculated and discussed” are taken, it is clear that the current situation does not do justice to Hutson’s talent.
It’s time to act. If the Canadian wants to see Hutson shine in the Calder race, he can no longer afford to keep him behind.
Now is the time to make courageous decisions, to put Hutson where he can truly impact the game. Otherwise, we risk looking back and wondering what might have happened if he had been given the chance to play fully his role.
Hutson’s potential is there. The pressure is there. And it’s time for St. Louis to stop slowing down its progress.
Because if caution continues to prevail, it is not only the race for Calder that will be lost, but a whole opportunity to see this young player transform CH’s offensive game.
To be continued…
