David Desharnais was already impressed by what he saw in Lane Hutson when he watched the Canadiens’ games from the comfort of his living room. What he saw last Saturday, live from the Bell Center, amazed him even more.
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After all, at 5’7″ and with 524 games in the NHL, the young retiree knows what it takes for a small player to stand out on a circuit rink.
Desharnais also laughs when it is pointed out to him that his opinion counts, since like Hutson – 5 ft 9 in, it should be remembered – “he is part of the club of slightly smaller players”.
“We see the way he creates space,” pointed out the former CH forward, who was at the Bell Center last Saturday, during the game against the Dallas Stars. We see that the opposing players respect him. They don’t get too close.”
David Desharnais on Tuesday, during the inauguration of the BLEU BLANC BOUGE ice rink in Quebec. JOURNAL DE QUEBEC/AGENCE QMI) – Photo Stevens Leblanc
Farmer’s hands
Desharnais still didn’t mind that a player like Hutson was able to slip to 62e ranked, in the second round, in particular because of his size and his size, in his draft year.
Even if the former striker himself defied the predictions of all NHL teams throughout his career, amassing 282 points without ever being drafted.
“Every time I see old people [de la LNH] pass, I see how strong they are, with big farmer’s hands,” he said, illustrating that size remains a valuable asset in hockey.
Stand out to stay
Desharnais was also in the right place to talk about it, since The Journal met him Tuesday during the unveiling of the BLEU BLANC BOUGE ice rink in Quebec, where there were also other veterans like Bob Gainey and Yvan Cournoyer.
“But the fact remains that hockey is less physical and faster than in another era,” he explained. Small players have their place, as long as they do well.”
In this regard, the 38-year-old former center player is not too worried about Hutson, he believes that he will continue his momentum over the next few seasons, even if he will become an increasingly marked player.
“What makes me say that is that he knew how to adapt each time, regardless of the level,” said Desharnais.
