Sergei Gounchar played for 20 years in the NHL, skating in 1301 games and finishing his career with a 45-game stint with the Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens]. Interviewed by Daria Tuboltseva for RG.org [https://rg.org/news/hockey/sergei-gonchar-coaching-future-canucks-exit-nhl-stars], the 51-year-old commented on some of the best defensemen of today’s game, including the Canadiens’ sophomore Lane Hutson. Of the Habs’ phenom, he said: > Offensively, he’s very strong, but he needs to build his defensive side and > get stronger physically. Makar is more solid. In the playoffs, toughness is > key. Hutson has potential, but the next couple of years will be critical for > how he develops after that first success. - Gonchar on Hutson Canadiens: On The State Of The Rebuild [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-on-the-state-of-the-rebuild] Canadiens' Arber Xhekaj Should Hit New Level [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-arber-xhekaj-should-hit-new-level] Canadiens Should Consider Targeting Best UFA Left [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-should-consider-targeting-best-ufa-left] While the declaration wasn’t very well received by Canadiens’ fans online, the former blueliner has a point. As good as Hutson is right now, there is still room for improvement, and it’s normal for a player with that high a ceiling. You can have all the raw talent in the world, but when you get to the NHL and have the support of some of the best and most knowledgeable staff in hockey, you will improve. It’s fair to say that Hutson is aware of the importance of the defensive side of his game, but he’s not perfect; he’s a diamond in the rough. His first season was spectacular, and the way he’s able to evade coverage because he’s so shifty, but once he adds muscle to his diminutive frame, he might not need to escape as much and could become more suited to playoff hockey. Not that he looked out of place in the Stanley Cup playoffs, he did score five points in as many games, but if he gets stronger, he will be more effective defending in his own zone. In one of the first two episodes of the second season of The Rebuild: Inside the Montreal Canadiens, Hutson’s roommate, his mother, says that she does worry sometimes when he’s on the ice and she sees big guys chasing him. As he matures physically, that should become less of a concern for her. In the interview, Gonchar praises Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Zach Werenski as some of the best defensemen in today’s game. As an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks] since January 2023, he was in a prime position to watch Hughes develop under his very eyes. Of him, he said: > Offense is his biggest strength. His skill level is incredible – he creates so > many chances, controls the game, drives play. His talent is phenomenal. > Defensively, of course, there was room for growth, but over the last two and a > half years, he’s improved a lot. He’s playing better now, though there’s still > space to grow. That’s what we focused on – raising his defensive game while > keeping his offensive strengths. We worked individually, focusing on details. - Gonchar on Hughes Gonchar won’t see him evolve from up close anymore since he left the organisation when coach Rick Tocchet quit. His replacement, Adam Foote, did offer him a role, but he would have had to be in Vancouver full-time; he declined the position. Time will tell if Gonchar was right about there being room for improvement in Hutson’s defensive game, but chances are he is, there’s always room for improvement in a young player’s game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens. Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] on The Hockey News.
