Lane Hutson, a highly anticipated prospect among Montreal Canadiens fans, has been turning heads since his arrival in college hockey. The 19-year-old defenseman, picked 62nd in the 2022 draft, had an historic first season at Boston University in the NCAA, scoring an impressive 15 goals and 33 assists (48 points) in 39 games.
Despite concerns that he might not replicate his offensive performance this season, Hutson is proving why he should have been a first-round pick. He remains dominant, tallying 12 points, including eight goals, in just 10 games this year.
Eric Engels made an interesting statement about Hutson's future. He believes Hutson will definitely sign an entry-level contract with the Canadiens at the end of his college season, making him eligible to play with the main team before the end of the 2023-2024 season.
It seems likely that the talented defenseman could don the Canadiens' jersey in the coming months. Many fans are eagerly anticipating his NHL debut, as he could instantly improve Montreal's power play.
Since being drafted by the Canadiens, Hutson has accumulated 23 goals and 37 assists (60 points) in 49 games with Boston University. He has also represented Team USA twice, at the World Junior Championship (4 points in 7 games) and last summer's World Championship (6 points in 9 games).
