All NHL Teams Need a Shootout Stud

The Canadiens got a nice comeback point against the Colorado Avalanche, but they could have had two points. At this time of the year, the longer you hang in the race or in a playoff spot, those extra points matter. The Canadiens are 2-3 in shootouts this season. I still dislike the shootout but you have to work the system and make sure you have a guaranteed shootout shark on your team, sometimes two of them help.

This is nitpicking but this is what happens in an NHL season. Cole Caufield is the best with two shootout goals in five attempts. That’s not very good.  As an example Teuvo Teravainen is 3-3 and six players are 3-4 on the season.

Captain Nick Suzuki is 0-3.  Lane Hutson is 0-1. I would use him more. He has exceptional stick and puck control. Patrik Laine is 2-3, that’s great but that’s an availability issue. After that it’s fleeting. One goal here and there.

What Hutson can do: 

Sometimes the opposing goalie stands on his head and sometimes it’s just puzzling choices by the coaching staff. This is league-wide, not just the Canadiens. It’s something that’s based on a feeling and who’s hot in that game, unless you have that guy like Anaheim has in Trevor Zegras, who is 65% in his career.

Help could be on the horizon for this. My guess is Ivan Demidov is good at that and Oliver Kapanen was 1-1 this season. That’s another player with exceptional stick and puck control. As 

As far as this season goes, I would use Hutson more. Laine is the no-brainer, Caufield is next and then it's a crapshoot.