As we all know, Lane Hutson is a hockey fanatic.
We always saw him on the rink whenever he had free time during the season.
And this desire to improve can only help him to have a long and prolific career, because it’s (really) not all players who dedicate themselves so much to hockey.
At least, not as much as Hutson…
This morning, Hutson was spotted (again) on the ice practicing and fine-tuning a few details, even though the season has been over for almost a month.
In the video below, we see Hutson in a CH practice jersey beating the goalie between the legs, and HabsolumentFan actually reported this earlier today.
The surfer who shared the video of the talented little defenseman actually added a rather interesting sentence:
“Lane Hutson is getting ready to win the Norris Trophy next season.” – @RizNHL
Really, Hutson has a desire to improve that very few players have.
And you have to wonder if RizNHL ‘s tweet is realistic. After all, he still finished tied for 6th in the NHL in scoring and just two points out of 4th.
It’s also worth pointing out that even if he doesn’t score many goals, he more than makes up for it with his playmaking skills. He finished tied for 2nd in assists among defensemen.
On the face of it, Hutson still has some crusts to eat before he reaches the caliber of Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. But when it comes to raw talent among defensemen, he’s certainly already among the NHL’s elite.
Throughout the season, #48 impressed the world with his easy adaptation to the NHL level, game after game.
Many thought he was going to be shuffled around like a doll because of his small stature, but his ability to break away from opponents in tight spaces helped him enormously. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Lane Hutson on his backside after being checked this season.
In the playoffs, he was tackled harder than in the season, which is to be expected, as the playoff game is much more robust. It’s a big adjustment for a youngster fresh out of the American university ranks…
He’ll undoubtedly have to work hard in the practice room this summer to build up his strength and arrive more ready to try and make the finalists for the Norris Trophy.
He’s got what it takes.
