Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet has hinted star defenseman Quinn Hughes might pull out of the 4 Nations Face-Off. If he does could Montreal Canadiens' rookie Lane Hutson get the call?
Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet has hinted star defenseman Quinn Hughes might pull out of the 4 Nations Face-Off. If he does could Montreal Canadiens' rookie Lane Hutson get the call?
Vancouver Canucks' coach Rick Tocchet keeps saying his injured captain Quinn Hughes is a smart kid and knows where is priorities should be which has led to speculations Hughes could pull out of the 4 Nations Face-Off. If he does indeed back out, Team USA will need someone to fill in and this could be an in for Montreal Canadiens rookie Lane Hutson.
Of course, Team USA roster is not easy to break, but right now, Lane Hutson has 41 points to his name and is actually ninth in scoring amongst defensemen in the league. As for the eight defensemen who are ahead of him in points, they are either already on the team or not Americans.
While one wouldn't dare to say that the youngster is on par with Hughes, but he does have a similar skillset and is no stranger to the national team having gone through the U.S. National Development team before joining Boston University in the NCAA.
It's fair to say that so far, Hutson's rookie season has exceeded all expectations, expect maybe his own since the rearguard doesn't lack confidence. While he went through a dry spell on the scoresheet of late, he has recorded an assist in the last two games and now has 41 points, leading the rookie scoring race, two points ahead of San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini and seven points ahead of Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov.
There no denying there are plenty of options for team USA to fill the void left by Hughes if he does pull out, including Hughes' brother Luke, but opting for Hutson would give them extra punch in the offensive zone. The USA brass may feel he's too young, but sooner or later, he'll be playing for his country, the talent is there.
Stay updated with the most interesting Montreal 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 @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.