Prospect Showdown: Montreal Canadiens Could Have Multiple Rookie D-Men Pushing For NHL Jobs

Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson's offensive escapades have endeared him to the Montreal faithful. He's not the only defense prospect who's making a strong impression.

MONTREAL - With the Bell Centre sold out with more than 20,000 fans in attendance, shaking the building every time a certain offensive defenseman touched the puck, you could’ve mistaken the scene for one of those many early-2010s playoff games.

But it wasn't P.K. Subban rushing up the ice in his daring style, keeping everyone in the building on the edge of their seat in anticipation.

In reality, this scene was only a prospects game in mid-September, and that offensive defenseman was 20-year-old Lane Hutson, who invigorated the Montreal faithful on Saturday in a way that has rarely been seen since Subban’s days in the city.

“Yeah, you definitely feel it,” Hutson said of the deafening roar every time he touched the puck. “I can tell you that’ll never happen anywhere else. It’s pretty special what they have here and we’re really thankful that we get to play in front of those fans.”

And even though the Montreal prospects dropped the first of two games in the Prospect Showdown 4-3 in the shootout to the Toronto Maple Leafs, all anyone could talk about was the Boston University star, who recorded an assist and a shootout goal.

His assist was a crisp centering pass to Filip Mesar, who fed Tyler Thorpe a perfect one-time pass for the goal. The play was just one of many heads-up decisions by Hutson, who could’ve had several helpers had his team finished more of their numerous chances.

“He seems to have unlimited confidence and it serves him well,” said Owen Beck, one of Montreal’s top forward prospects. “I think he’s a very high-end player and he’ll be a very good ‘D’ for many years to come.”

But to only talk about Hutson would be a massive slight to the several standout defensemen in the Canadiens’ brimming prospect pool.

There was 2022 third-round pick Adam Engstrom, who got the Canadiens on the board in the first period with a perfectly placed wrister. He was their most well-rounded and detail-oriented player, making responsible decisions up and down the ice. It felt on-brand for a player coming from a long lineage of smart and poised Swedish defenders.

“We notice (Engstrom),” said Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent, who is coaching the prospects through the two-game series. “The details in his game are really good. Today I really like how he adjusted his game because every game is different, every shift is different. I think he’s a cerebral player and I like that.”

You couldn’t ignore Logan Mailloux, who wore the ‘C’ for Montreal’s prospects and patrolled the blueline with confidence and authority after a shaky start. He recovered well to form an effective top pair with Hutson. The 6-foot-3 defender set the single-season goal record by a defenseman for Laval last season, earning a call-up late in the year.

The fact that David Reinbacher, the fifth-overall selection in 2023, was overshadowed by several of his teammates in this game is a testament to the talent Montreal has accumulated during this lengthy rebuilding process. Reinbacher recorded an assist in the game.

The fact is, there could be multiple rookie D-men pushing for opening night roster spots come October if they play like this through pre-season.

Vincent left it up for interpretation as to how many of the defensemen could stay with Montreal to begin the year, but he said the team "will be young, maybe the youngest team in the league.”

“Early in the season it may be harder to win games, but if we keep playing them and they keep growing and progressing, I think the second half of the season, the team will benefit from those moments early in the season,” Vincent said.

Hutson is certainly the front-runner to start the season on the opening night lineup. The Hockey News Yearbook listed Hutson fourth on the Canadiens defensive depth chart. He is undersized (5-foot-10 and 165 pounds) and not a particularly gifted skater, but his vision and slipperiness are not to be taken lightly.

He's not afraid to take massive risks, and yes, he will get burned a lot at the NHL level, but not many players are capable of the magic he can produce on a nightly basis.

Reinbacher plays a much more responsible, stay-at-home style that could pair well with Hutson down the road. He’ll likely spend significant time in Laval this season, but some NHL games would do him good.

Mailloux and Engstrom are likely in the same boat, but their current rate of progression certainly makes the organization feel that their NHL futures aren’t too far off.

“I really enjoy watching those guys and seeing the things that they’re gonna bring eventually,” Vincent said.