With the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday evening, it will be an opportunity for Quebecer Jonathan Drouin to reconnect with his former team.
The native of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts found his niche with Jared Bednar’s troupe, he who is a good complement to Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar, in particular.
Being far from the Montreal spotlight, we feel he is really thriving in his current environment, having accumulated 8 points in 7 games this year, even though he has just returned to the game following an upper body injury. That’s without mentioning his extraordinary 2023-2024 season, having scored 56 points in 79 games.
Even if he is no longer a member of the CH, a troop with which he played for six years, number 27 still follows the team’s activities. In an interview with Renaud Lavoie, the striker revealed that he still watches all the Habs matches, he who is a big hockey fan above all else.
He was also asked to discuss defender Lane Hutson, giving his assessment of the Canadian’s young sensation. Drouin, like several other observers, compares Hutson’s game with that of a certain Quinn Hughes, captain and star fullback of the Vancouver Canucks.
“I still watch all the Canadian’s games. I can’t wait to see it in person. I compare him a bit to Quinn Hughes and I think he has a similar style, but there are things he does differently. I also think he is in a good place with Martin St-Louis and Stéphane Robidas. These are people who are really good at talking one-on-one. We watched his first ten matches, everyone thought he was incredible, but he’s on another level already. He seems to love hockey and it’s the “fun” of seeing a young guy like that who isn’t nervous or stressed about making a mistake. He makes mistakes, but it doesn’t matter. The “coaches” get him back on the ice and he continues to improve. The Canadian will have quite a defender in the future. – Jonathan Drouin
Drouin therefore holds the young Hutson in high regard, and he will have the opportunity to make his own evaluation more closely, when he faces it on Saturday evening.
The number 48 is the talk of the four corners of the NHL and it’s only the beginning. There is no doubt that he will be closely watched by Colorado roofers, considering everything that is said about him.
Note that Hutson has amassed a total of 26 points, including 2 goals, in 38 games this year, he who is hovering around the top-3 in points among NHL rookies.
It may be too early to talk about the Calder Trophy, of course, but at this rate, we should not be surprised if it is commonly part of the discussions coming from decision-makers.
