MONTREAL – For those who doubted that Lane Hutson would become good in the NHL, his fifth game should break down the wall of their arguments.
If you didn’t have the chance to see his performance against the Ottawa Senators, we strongly recommend that you devour the highlights on RDS.ca.
After the game, his name was on everyone’s lips and no one held back to praise him, because his presentation already proved that his talent was unique.
“I think it’s tiring for the other teams,” coach Martin St-Louis joked. He’s a good asset to have in our club. »
It was legitimate to want to be careful in his case and not just because of his size. He was just a recruit arriving in the big leagues, on an imposing reconstruction project.
But he already stands out as the gifted little one who could teach the old hands who thought they knew everything.
Our friends at SportLogiq have listed a fascinating statistic to back it all up. During this game, the Canadian controlled the puck for 6:03 in the offensive zone. And, Hutson alone got 1:15 of that time of possession.
To achieve this, Hutson demonstrates an exceptional ability to gauge space with his opponents. Thus, he is able to keep the puck without having it taken away. Add to that his many feints that mystify his opponents, it’s simply superb to watch.
In the end, it’s as if the puck is magnetized to its paddle.
“It’s with his intelligence and his strengths. He’s very quick east-west and he understands the little pockets of space. He has the puck handling skills to manage these spaces. Many games can be made from his contribution. He doesn’t just find a game, he chooses the best one. The more his teammates play with him, the more they will place themselves in the right places and it will become even more fluid,” described St-Louis.
“His ability to detect space on the play is really impressive. It seems like he is always able to take the puck and spot a player who is free. It’s really impressive to do that after five games,” observed Mike Matheson.
“The way he controls the puck in certain situations is pretty crazy! It seems like he’s been playing in the NHL for a very long time,” commented Cole Caufield.
No time to be nervous
But to play so naturally so quickly in the NHL, it requires a lot of strength of character. Venerable colleague Pat Hickey, who is about four times Hutson’s age, asked him if he ever got nervous.
“There are so many good players and the game comes so fast that you don’t have enough time to get nervous. It takes confidence,” humbly replied Hutson, who is better on the ice than in an interview.
Hutson also proved he was willing to go up against tough opponents to achieve his goals. Even Brady Tkachuk couldn’t disrupt him when he set up Alex Newhook’s goal.
“He’s not afraid, he’s quite brave. And he has enough skills to handle checks. He will get punched sometimes, but he is able to avoid them. He’s played some big hockey along the way so he’s not impressed,” explained the coach.
“Not everyone sees themselves in the NHL right away. But he does and this has accelerated his impact that he generates in our games,” he added.
Regarding Tkachuk, it was amusing to hear Hutson say that the Senators forward went to practice with him and his teammates in the American development program when he was awaiting a new contract. Hutson was only 16 or 17 and he had enjoyed competing with him.
Caufield grew up in the American program and the NCAA. In his case, the biggest challenge was consistency in making the jump to the Bettman circuit.
“I think her transition has been pretty easy so far,” he laughed.
“It’s special how calm he remains even with multiple opponents chasing him. He has a very special talent and we are very lucky to have a player like him,” continued the striker.
Obviously, Hutson will easily obtain his skills cards on the Canadian’s construction site. St-Louis summed it up well.
“Lane’s consistency excites his teammates. They see that he can defend, that he is not just a power play specialist. And he plays with very good intentions without just thinking about himself,” targeted the coach.
St-Louis built its legend thanks to its determination and its exploits despite its small size.
“I’m proud to see the smallest players in the NHL. Some guys helped me (to be able to make my way) and I then contributed to it. It’s fun to watch. We are all excited to have this weapon now,” concluded St-Louis.
