Latest news with #Hutson
Edmonton Journal
4 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Jack Todd: Adapting to playoff brutality will be key for rising Canadiens star Lane Hutson
Article content Begging the question: Can a player like the 5-foot-9, 162-pound Hutson thrive at playoff time? It would be wrong to assume that Hutson can't adapt his quicksilver talents to the post-season. Most of the hockey world has been wrong about this young man from long before he was drafted. He is one tough cookie and I will never forget the beatdown he put on a 6-foot-5, 235-pound Swede at the world juniors. The shift in play from regular season to playoffs is unmatched in any of the other North American leagues. It's open season on skilled players, especially those like Hutson who don't have the sheer bulk to make offenders pay. Before the playoffs started, I saw a clip of Paul Maurice behind the Florida bench that gives the game away. There was Maurice during last season's playoffs, as urbane and articulate as any coach in reducing the game to its brutal essence, dropping F-bombs left and right while urging his players to do one thing: 'Hit!'
Ottawa Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Jack Todd: Adapting to playoff brutality will be key for rising Canadiens star Lane Hutson
Article content As the NHL announced last week that the Canadiens' Lane Hutson was the overwhelming winner of the Calder Trophy, with 165 first-place votes out of 191, the Florida Panthers were committing mayhem en route to what will probably be a second straight Stanley Cup. Article content The carnage, especially in Game 3 of the final against the Edmonton Oilers, was impressive. Even more impressive was the ability of NHL referees to resist the temptation to blow the whistle come playoff time. Both sides got away with a lot and the Oilers were guilty of taking some very stupid penalties, but the officiating definitely favoured Florida's style of play. Article content Article content Begging the question: Can a player like the 5-foot-9, 162-pound Hutson thrive at playoff time? Article content Article content It would be wrong to assume that Hutson can't adapt his quicksilver talents to the post-season. Most of the hockey world has been wrong about this young man from long before he was drafted. He is one tough cookie and I will never forget the beatdown he put on a 6-foot-5, 235-pound Swede at the world juniors. Article content The shift in play from regular season to playoffs is unmatched in any of the other North American leagues. It's open season on skilled players, especially those like Hutson who don't have the sheer bulk to make offenders pay. Article content Before the playoffs started, I saw a clip of Paul Maurice behind the Florida bench that gives the game away. There was Maurice during last season's playoffs, as urbane and articulate as any coach in reducing the game to its brutal essence, dropping F-bombs left and right while urging his players to do one thing: 'Hit!' Article content Article content No subtle dissections of strategy or matchups. Just pound 'em into the ice, an effective tactic this time of year. Article content Hutson does have ways of protecting himself that are not named Arber Xhekaj. The first time an opposing lummox tried to hit Hutson was during the pre-season, when lumbering Ryan Reaves tried to take his head off and caught a whole lot of glass. Hutson went on to play big minutes through 82 regular-season games and five playoff games, which might be the most remarkable aspect of his dazzling rookie campaign. Article content He does get sent flying now and then, but he inevitably bounces back. He'll have to — because as the playoffs advance, the play seems to get more recklessly violent with every round. Article content Article content Perhaps the most encouraging words for Hutson came from the Canadiens' previous Calder winner, Ken Dryden, who took the trophy in 1972: 'Congratulations, Lane. You were too small to make your mark, but then game after game you showed you weren't. Your team wasn't yet ready to compete, then, month after month, you showed you were. Now, you and your team are on your way.'
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Jack Todd: Adapting to playoff brutality will be key for rising Canadiens star Lane Hutson
As the NHL announced last week that the Canadiens' Lane Hutson was the overwhelming winner of the Calder Trophy, with 165 first-place votes out of 191, the Florida Panthers were committing mayhem en route to what will probably be a second straight Stanley Cup. The carnage, especially in Game 3 of the final against the Edmonton Oilers , was impressive. Even more impressive was the ability of NHL referees to resist the temptation to blow the whistle come playoff time. Both sides got away with a lot and the Oilers were guilty of taking some very stupid penalties, but the officiating definitely favoured Florida's style of play. Begging the question: Can a player like the 5-foot-9, 162-pound Hutson thrive at playoff time? Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It would be wrong to assume that Hutson can't adapt his quicksilver talents to the post-season. Most of the hockey world has been wrong about this young man from long before he was drafted. He is one tough cookie and I will never forget the beatdown he put on a 6-foot-5, 235-pound Swede at the world juniors. The shift in play from regular season to playoffs is unmatched in any of the other North American leagues. It's open season on skilled players, especially those like Hutson who don't have the sheer bulk to make offenders pay. Before the playoffs started, I saw a clip of Paul Maurice behind the Florida bench that gives the game away. There was Maurice during last season's playoffs, as urbane and articulate as any coach in reducing the game to its brutal essence, dropping F-bombs left and right while urging his players to do one thing: 'Hit!' No subtle dissections of strategy or matchups. Just pound 'em into the ice, an effective tactic this time of year. Hutson does have ways of protecting himself that are not named Arber Xhekaj. The first time an opposing lummox tried to hit Hutson was during the pre-season, when lumbering Ryan Reaves tried to take his head off and caught a whole lot of glass. Hutson went on to play big minutes through 82 regular-season games and five playoff games, which might be the most remarkable aspect of his dazzling rookie campaign. He does get sent flying now and then, but he inevitably bounces back. He'll have to — because as the playoffs advance, the play seems to get more recklessly violent with every round. Perhaps the most encouraging words for Hutson came from the Canadiens' previous Calder winner, Ken Dryden, who took the trophy in 1972: 'Congratulations, Lane. You were too small to make your mark, but then game after game you showed you weren't. Your team wasn't yet ready to compete, then, month after month, you showed you were. Now, you and your team are on your way.' Nicest guy in the league: Given the kitschy vibe of NHL awards shows, breaking it up and having families surprise the winners with their trophies made sense — and at least we didn't have to endure Nickelback. The most touching awards ceremony I saw was when Anze Kopitar's wife and daughters awarded the Kings' veteran centreman the Lady Byng Trophy, complete with drawings from the girls proclaiming him the 'nicest guy in the NHL.' That's accurate — although Nick Suzuki could give Kopitar some competition. Beasts of the East: Two games into the season, and the Alouettes are the absolute rulers of the East Division. They're 2-0, while Hamilton, Ottawa and Toronto are all 0-2. The standings are meaningless at this point in the season, but the Alouettes' defence as designed by the masterful Noel Thorpe is not meaningless. They play with intent and the intent is to shut you down. As my trusty sidekick Zeke Herbowsky pointed out, the Alouettes faced a couple of backup quarterbacks — but they're both veteran QBs with solid resumés and they were both all but eaten alive by a defence that was breathing fire. Gabriel rising: Thanks to my mentor Pat Hickey for calling my attention to Montrealer Gabriel Diallo, who this weekend defeated his friend and doubles partner, Belgian Zizou Bergs, to win the Libema Open for his first ATP title. Diallo is a towering, 6-foot-8 powerhouse whose father is from Guinea and whose mother is a former professional handball player from Ukraine. He's climbed the rungs to 44th on the ATP Tour as we head to Wimbledon. This Hart lacks heart: It's well within the definition of the award, but I could never bring myself to vote for a Hart Trophy candidate who doesn't carry that play into the post-season, whether it's Connor Hellebuyck or Auston Matthews. Heroes: Lane Hutson, Ken Dryden, Anze Kopitar, George Russell, Gabriel Diallo, Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, Shawn Oakman, Wesley Sutton, Dylan Wynn, Davis Alexander, Tyler Snead, Austin Mack, Latifah Abdu, Tanya Boychuk, Tatjana Maria, Armand Duplantis &&&& last but not least, the amazing Summer McIntosh . Zeros: The NHL's playoff officiating, schedules that can have teams playing hockey into the summer, the Boston Red Sox, Max Verstappen, Christian Horner, Matthew Tkachuk, Connor Hellebuyck, Auston Matthews, Daryl Katz, Douglas Cifu, Vincent Viola, Wayne Gretzky, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria. Now and forever. @
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former BU defenseman, Canadiens rising star wins NHL's Calder Trophy
Lane Hutson's strong rookie season was rewarded on Tuesday. The Montreal Canadiens defenseman was surprised with the Calder Memorial Trophy by his family as the NHL's rookie of the year. The trophy is given annually 'to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition." Advertisement Hutson finished the 2024-25 campaign with six goals and 60 assists — which tied Larry Murphy — who tallied 60 during the 1980-81 season — for the most helpers by a defenseman in his rookie year. The 66 points were only behind Brian Leetch (71) and Gary Suter (68). Before being drafted by Montreal in the second round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Hutson spent two seasons at Boston University. The blueliner is a two-time First Team All-American, two-time Hockey East First Team All-Star and was selected as New England's top defenseman in both his seasons with the Terriers. In 77 games at BU, Hutson led all active NCAA defenseman with 97 points (30 goals, 67 assists). Huston received 165 of a possible 191 first-place votes. Fellow former BU alum and San Jose Sharks center finished third in the voting. More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canadiens: Hutson Named To All-Rookie Team
While it was a given after he had won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie for the 2024-25 season, Montreal Canadiens' blueliner Lane Hutson was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team on Thursday night. One hundred eighty-seven members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association were asked to vote for the All-Rookie team, and three of the selections were unanimous: Hutson and his fellow Calder finalists, the Calgary Flames' goaltender Dustin Wolf, and the San Jose Sharks' forward Macklin Celebrini. Advertisement Philadelphia Flyers Russian wonder Matvei Michkov was a near-unanimous selection, receiving 186 votes, while the final forward, Anaheim Ducks' Cutter Gauthier, received just 79 votes. As for the second defenseman, the honour was given to the Columbus Blue Jackets' Denton Mateychuk, who received 95 votes. The last time a Canadiens player was named to the All-Rookie Team was in the 2019-20 season, when Nick Suzuki was honoured alongside Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Elvis Merzlikins, Victor Olofsson, and Dominik Kubalik. Before then, it was alternate captain Brendan Gallagher, back in 2012-13, on a team that also featured Jonathan Huberdeau, Brandon Saad, Jonas Brodin, Justin Schultz, and former Hab goaltender Jake Allen. The last Canadiens blueliner to be named to the All-Rookie Team was P.K. Subban in 2010-11, who was joined by Logan Couture, Corey Crawford, John Carlson, Jeff Skinner, and Michael Grabner. The NHL began naming an All-Rookie Team in 1982-83, and since then, 14 Canadiens players have received the honour. In three seasons, two players from the Habs made the team. In 1982-83, Mats Naslund and Dan Daoust; in 1984-85, Chris Chelios and Steve Penney; and in 1985-86, Patrik Roy and Kjell Dahlin. Advertisement Of the 14 Canadiens players named, only three were blueliners, including Hutson. There were also only three goaltenders (Carey Price being the third), and the remaining eight players were forwards (Gallagher, Suzuki, Dhalin, Daoust, Naslund, Oleg Petrov, Michael Ryder and Gilbert Dionne). Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @ and Threads @karinehains. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
