2024-04-16 14:15:00
Lane Hutson’s professional debut arouses curiosity. Will the star defenseman from Boston University succeed in transposing the success he had in the college ranks to the National Hockey League (NHL)? Will his small stature catch up with him at the next level?
When it comes to small players who have dispelled doubts, Paul Byron knows a thing or two about it.
The former Canadian winger became a player development coach within the organization this season and he is closely following the team’s hopes. In his eyes, the question should not even arise.
He will succeed, I have no doubt about him, assured Byron a few hours before Hutson’s first game in the NHL, Monday evening in Detroit.
Everyone thinks their size is the problem. But there are always ways to thwart something. If you’re small, fast and agile, a big guy will have a hard time defending against you, or he might have trouble forechecking at your expense. By the way Lane skates, by the way he moves, by the way he creates spaces to break free, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to be fine. The same way Quinn Hughes did his job in Vancouver, people had the same fears about him and he seems to me to be doing very well.
Hutson stood out at Boston University for his fascinating ability to exploit open space to generate a lot of attack. He creates this space thanks to an agile skating stroke which throws the opponent off-balance, thanks to feints in which his opponents have bitten until now, but also with an anticipation and an understanding of the game which allows him to recognize what is within his reach.
However, Martin St-Louis is a head coach who finds chemistry with players who think about the game at a high level. According to Byron, Hutson is one of them.
He’s an exciting player to watch, and here’s a player who you could say processes information so quickly that, while there might be an adjustment period, the more good players he is surrounded by and of a fast, quality style of hockey, the more his hockey sense will come out, said Byron. And maybe he’ll end up being a better player for that.”,”text”:”He’s an exciting player to watch, and here’s a player you could say treats the information so quickly that, while there may be an adjustment period, the more he is surrounded by good players and a fast, quality style of hockey, the more his hockey sense will emerge, Byron said. And maybe he’ll end up being a better player because of it.”}}”> He’s an exciting player to watch, and here’s a player who you could say processes information so well. quickly that, although there might be a period of adaptation, the more he is surrounded by good players and a fast, quality style of hockey, the more his hockey sense will emerge, said Byron. And maybe he’ll end up being a better player because of it.
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Paul Byron is excited about his first season as player development coach in the Canadiens organization. (archive photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Ivanoh Demers
Obviously, it can be ambitious, if not reckless, to make too many connections between Hutson and Hughes, the defenseman who sits at the top of the scorers at his position with 91 points in 80 games and who will undoubtedly be a finalist for the Norris Trophy.
Certainly, both guards are dynamic and face the same challenge of excelling despite their small size. But what can Hutson – as well as the Canadian organization which will have the task of continuing his development – do to ensure that he tends more towards Hughes and that he does not come up against the same limitations as Victor Mete, a another diminutive defenseman who hasn’t managed to establish himself in the NHL?
That’s a pretty broad question, Byron agreed. Why didn’t it work for Victor? Why might this work for Lane? Maybe it’s a question of asset mix. Maybe Lane has better skills that translate better to the NHL. Maybe he has a better shot, maybe he’s a better passer. Maybe he can control and direct a power play in a way Victor couldn’t.
This is why I think points in the junior ranks don’t always translate to the NHL, but it’s the impact on games that counts. If Lane can have an impact and control the play, if teams try to pressure him on the forecheck and he still gets the puck out, right off the bat the team will be better because he will help the puck leaves the zone more quickly.
A quote from Paul Byron
For Lane, added Byron, the question is whether he will be able to get the puck out of our zone so that we can play offense more quickly or whether he will have to defend throughout the game. And we won’t know that until we see him play at this level.”,”text”:”For Lane, added Byron, the question is whether he can get the puck out from our zone so that we can play attack more quickly or if he will have to defend throughout the match. And we won’t know that until we see him play at this level.”}}”> For Lane, Byron added, the question is whether he can get the puck out of our zone so that we can play attack more quickly or if he will have to defend throughout the match. And we won’t know that until we see him play at this level.
What is learned and what is not learned
During a meeting with Hutson earlier this season, we spoke with his head coach at Boston University, Jay Pandolfo, and he repeatedly mentioned this idea that some things will only be true once. once Hutson moved to the next level. As if, essentially, his young quarterback had learned what he could learn at the college level and it was time for him to be exposed to a higher caliber of play.
There is no doubt about Hutson’s offensive skills. But in his case, as in that of Logan Mailloux – another prospect that Byron holds in high esteem – the moment presented itself where everyone had to go check how their defensive game would hold up against professionals.
Logan, with Lane, with gifted players like them, is that they play with the puck so much in the lower levels that they don’t need to defend”,”text”:”The thing about , with , with gifted players like them is that they play with the puck so much at the lower levels that they don’t need to defend”}}”>The thing with Logan, with Lane, with gifted players like them, it’s that they play with the puck so much in the lower levels that they don’t need to defend, recalled the 34-year-old. So it’s when they move on to the pros that you start to see gaps in their game. But they’re so easy to train, they have such a good attitude, that it’s easier to teach them these things- there than teaching them what they can do with the puck.
Logan can do it on the blue line, you can’t really teach it. You can’t teach what Lane does. But we can teach them to think and make reads that will help them develop and become better defenders.”,”text”:”You look at what the blue line can do, you can’t really do that. ‘teach. You can’t teach what’s done. But we can teach them to think and make reads that will help them develop and become better defenders.”}}”>You look at what Logan can do on the blue line, you can’t really do it. teach. You can’t teach what Lane does. But we can teach them to think and do readings that will help them develop and become better defenders.
Because they can become special players.”,”text”:”Because they can become special players.”}}”> Because they can become special players.
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