Lane Hutson came close to scoring what would have been one of the greatest first goals in National Hockey League (NHL) history last Thursday against the Wild, but after 20 games in the circuit, his score remains stuck at zero. The little defender believes that the tide could soon turn.
“I have the feeling that these pucks will eventually find the back of the net,” confided the young man, Sunday morning, after the Montreal Canadiens’ morning session in Brossard.
Against the Wild, Hutson did everything but score. In the second period, he lost a first roofer, Marat Khusnutdinov, so effectively that even the cameraman was outwitted, losing sight of him momentarily. Hutson then reserved his best feint for Zach Bogosian around the net before seeing his shot deflect off the right arm of goalkeeper Filip Gustavsson.
Lane Hutson does everything but score… WOW! –
This sequence, which did not even result in a goal, caused a stir on social networks. At the time of writing, TVA Sports publications on X and Facebook had accumulated nearly a million views.
“When you see space, you have to take it. I saw space and I grabbed it,” Hutson humbly analyzed.
Space, in reality, there wasn’t much. Hutson is simply a master at sneaking up.
Possible solutions
How has a defender with so much talent and creating so much space on the ice still not managed to make a move in the NHL after twenty games?
Bad luck is part of the equation. It doesn’t explain everything. Hutson himself admits that he needs to make adjustments to the way he shoots.
“The puck doesn’t bounce for me, yes, but it’s a combination of these two factors,” he said. There are some great goalies in this league, and I have to learn how to outsmart them. I have to figure out what works and what doesn’t work against them.”
And what needs to change, concretely? Hutson offered us a little foray into his “laboratory”.
“I’m working on small details,” he explained, “like releasing the puck more quickly and trying to add velocity to my shots. It also depends on your positioning on the ice.”
The Plea of Adam Nicholas
Director of development for the Canadiens, Adam Nicholas is leading the way. And this hockey brain takes great pleasure in throwing barbs at Hutson, whose shot lacks power.
“We talk about it all the time,” Hutson said with a smile. He often attacks me, he finds that my shot lacks force. I’ll get there with time, but I won’t have a ball from one point to the next.”
Now, for Hutson, it’s not just about brute strength and hard work in the gym.
“It comes with the mentality,” he clarified. You really have to apply force on the puck. Often I try to find the openings and place the puck. Therefore, I take some power off my shot. I have to stop thinking and just shoot the puck with all my might.”
Hutson could spend hours dissecting the fine details of his shot. In the end, maybe he just needs a goal to get off the ground.
“It might ward off a little bad luck.”
