Stu Cowan: Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson 'a particular participant,' coach says

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Lane Hutson appeared like a child who had borrowed his father’s much-too-large Canadiens sweater.

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Montreal had simply chosen Hutson within the second spherical (62nd total) of final July’s NHL Draft on the Bell Centre and the Canadiens sweater he was carrying was falling off his shoulders when he met with the media.

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“Hopefully I can fill the jersey out a little bit bit extra,” stated Hutson, who was listed at 5-foot-8 and 158 kilos on the time.

Lower than a yr later, that Canadiens sweater is trying prefer it might be an excellent match for Hutson sooner or later.

As a freshman at Boston College this season, Hutson posted 15-33-48 totals in 39 video games and had a plus-25 differential whereas changing into the primary defenceman in Hockey East historical past to win the league scoring title. Boston College received the league championship with Hutson scoring two targets — together with the winner in extra time — in a 3-2 victory over Merrimack within the championship recreation.

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Hutson is now taking part in for Crew USA on the IIHF World Championship and continues to impress. Heading into Saturday’s semifinal recreation in Tampere, Finland, towards Germany (11 a.m., TSN, RDS), Hutson has 2-4-6 totals in seven video games and is plus-8. Canada, with the Canadiens’ Samuel Montembeault in purpose, will play Latvia within the different semifinal (7 a.m., TSN, RDS).

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Jay Pandolfo, the top coach at Boston College, isn’t stunned to see Hutson performing so effectively on the world championship.

“I simply suppose he’s taking part in his recreation,” Pandolfo stated in a telephone interview Friday. “For Lane, generally it takes him a little bit time to get adjusted. The pace and the power is a degree up from school and I really feel like as soon as he adjusts and begins to play his recreation he begins rising an increasing number of confidence. It’s spectacular. He did the identical factor coming into school on the NCAA degree. He can adapt.”

Hutson has determined to return to Boston College subsequent season relatively than flip professional, which is a brilliant transfer. One other yr at college will permit him to proceed growing each on and off the ice. Pandolfo stated Hutson is now 5-foot-10 and 165 kilos.

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“A profit of faculty is you don’t play as many video games as you do in junior, so you will have a number of time to develop bodily off the ice,” Pandolfo stated. “Our guys, particularly early within the season, they’re within the weight room three of 4 days every week getting actually good power coaching in. Lane put some weight on this yr and he additionally grew. I believe one other yr of that ought to set him up effectively to maneuver on and play within the NHL.”

Pandolfo was chosen by the New Jersey Devils within the second spherical (thirty second total) of the 1993 NHL Draft and performed 4 full seasons at Boston College earlier than turning professional. He performed 15 seasons within the NHL. After retiring, Pandolfo was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins for 5 seasons, then spent one yr as affiliate coach at Boston College earlier than changing into head coach final yr. He was named Hockey East coach of the yr this season.

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What Hutson lacks in measurement, he makes up for with a excessive hockey IQ and his competitiveness. He has an excellent stick defensively and is aware of how one can use angles to chop gamers off.

“A giant a part of his recreation is ending performs rapidly so he doesn’t spend a number of time within the defensive zone so he doesn’t need to get worn down battling in entrance of the online,” Pandolfo stated. “The power of his recreation is ending performs fast and getting happening transition. It definitely helped our group group this yr how fast he may transition the puck and get us happening offence.”

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The Canadiens ranked twenty sixth within the NHL this season in offence and twenty ninth on the ability play. They undoubtedly need assistance on offence shifting ahead of their rebuilding plan and Hutson might be a participant to do this.

“He’s a particular participant,” Pandolfo stated. “I believe he’s going to do very effectively on the NHL degree. In fact, like several younger participant, he’s going to have some rising pains and he’ll have to regulate to sure issues. However he can regulate rapidly.”

Pandolfo added that taking part in with higher gamers within the NHL will assist Hutson.

“He makes a number of performs in school the place, truthfully, some guys aren’t prepared for it,” Pandolfo stated. “He sees the ice that effectively. I believe taking part in with higher gamers will make him a fair higher participant. I actually do count on him to have the ability to leap in and be productive fairly rapidly (within the NHL).”

Pandolfo additionally believes having Martin St. Louis as a head coach will assist Hutson.

“Understanding Marty, he’ll respect what Lane can do and he’ll let him play to his strengths and I believe that may assist Lane,” Pandolfo stated. “If he has confidence to know he can play to his strengths he’ll acquire extra confidence and be a fair higher participant.”

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