It’s not just Lane Hutson’s feints that impress Stéphane Robidas

Defender Lane Hutson made many eyes widen in his professional debut. However, for Stéphane Robidas, it is not his mobility and his feints that hold his attention.

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“We talk a lot about his play with the puck, yes, he’s impressive, but the defensive aspect, how he defends and how he wins one-on-one battles against the size he has, that’s what which I notice and which I appreciate a lot,” said Martin St-Louis’ assistant on Thursday after a training session in Brossard.

Beyond the spectacular play of the 20-year-old American, who, at 5’9″ and 162 lbs, lifts the crowd at the Bell Center almost every game, his level of competitiveness is inspiring.

In particular, Hutson is learning to recognize when it is the time to outwit a rival at the enemy blue line or simply to move the puck safely.

“When we lead by a goal, we don’t need to go for a second. We can, but there is a time to do it, you have to manage the match, know when to go, when there is less time,” analyzed Robidas.

“He is an extremely intelligent young man, he learns very quickly and he wants to improve,” observed the former CH defender.

Less confusion

Hutson, who is still looking for his first NHL goal, must also assimilate a new defensive concept. This seemed complicated at the start of the season for all the Habs players, but in recent weeks, there have been fewer confusions in defensive territory.

«[Il faut] try to eliminate the gray areas, to make the game as white or black as possible. When there are gray areas, that’s often where there is confusion,” Robidas argued, adding that everyone understood their role better, because “it just takes a player who doesn’t do his job to give a chance to score.

“It’s certain that spending less time in our area [ça aide]he recalled. Our attackers retreat more quickly. Sometimes it starts from the offensive zone. When you play better with the puck, when you spend more time on the other end, it’s a good way to not have to defend.