Craig Berube compares 'dangerous' Canadiens' Lane Hutson to $47,100,000 young star

By Mike Whitaker

Modified Nov 09, 2024 22:00 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs are less than 24 hours removed from a divisional victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Former captain John Tavares tallied the game-winning goal on the power play and followed it up with an empty-net goal late in the third period to seal it.

They're back in action on Saturday night against another divisional opponent as the Montreal Canadiens come to town. While the Leafs will be paying special attention to forward Cole Caufield, coach Craig Berube has identified another dangerous Habs player they'll have to keep close tabs on.

As Berube put it, rookie defenseman Lane Hutson is a threat and even compared him to Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks.

Q: "What are your impressions of Lane Hutson as a young defenseman?"

Craig Berube: "Not the biggest dynamic skater, and you know, agility heads up all the time. If you watch him, you know he really sees the ice well, and he's got great feet and agility.

"Probably compare him to Hughes in Vancouver to some point, you know. But he's a dangerous player."

Hughes is currently on a $47.1 million contract with the Canucks. Being compared to him is not a bad omen for Hutson.

The Maple Leafs and Canadiens will get underway at Scotiabank Arena, starting at 7:00 PM EST.

Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is in his rookie season

A native of Metro-Detroit, Hutson was selected by the Canadiens with the 62nd overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut in April last season against his hometown team, Detroit Red Wings, at Little Caesars Arena.

Hutson even picked up an assist in the first period of that game, an eventual 5-4 overtime Detroit win.

While he's yet to tally his first career goal, he's picked up seven assists this season with the Habs.

“If I’m going to get a puck, I usually take a glance and get a vision of what’s happening before I even touch the puck,” Hutson said in 2022 of his playing style. “Then, I’ll have an idea of what I want to do, but then there’s also seven different options — eight different options — that I could do. I usually go with one of the first options I see, and then if that option closes, I’ll go to my next option."

Being compared to the Canucks captain is high praise for the rookie defenseman, especially considering Hughes' status as the reigning Norris Trophy-winner, qualifying him to be the NHL's best defenseman.