It’s already clear the Canadiens should give Lane Hutson a chance to start in the NHL

MONTREAL Its just two prospect games, you tell yourself.

Dont read too much into it, you tell yourself.

But its hard to watch Lane Hutson play hockey and come to the conclusion he belongs in the AHL this season.

Looking at the last two games of last season against a Detroit Red Wings team fighting for its playoff life, plus these two games against the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects over the weekend, Montreal Canadiens management doesnt have a whole lot of information to go on before making a decision on Hutson.

But they dont need to make that decision just yet.

They can let training camp play out, they can watch Hutson play preseason games against NHL talent, they can gather more information and make the call when it needs to be made.

Advertisement But honestly, I think my minds made up.

This might look silly in a few weeks, but I genuinely dont think it will.

Lane Hutson has no reason to play in the AHL this season.

Im already convinced.

If the Canadiens were a winning team that couldnt live with the inevitable mistakes Hutson will make defensively against NHL talent, the calculus on this decision would be vastly different.

But they are not a winning team, and even if there is a desire to make the playoffs this season, that should not take a backseat to proper player development.

And Im convinced the best place to develop Hutson would be in the NHL, where he can play with players who are as smart as he is on the ice, where he can better predict where they will be on the ice at any given time, and where he can work consistently with coach Martin St.

Louis, perhaps the best possible mentor an undersized player could ask for as he transitions to the NHL.

And honestly, Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent is already talking about Hutson like hes a player he will not be coaching this season.

These defencemen who have that ...

we were talking about Adam Fox with the Rangers , guys like that have that quality to adjust to what comes at them, Vincent said Saturday after the first prospects game.

We were talking about it the other day, not only will the NHL be faster, the guys are bigger, they have more experience, but his teammates will as well.

Guys will get open quicker for him and hell be able to see those options.

Hes going to be a good player.

Hell adjust.

Today, he took what the other team gave him.

I think he has that quality to be able to adjust.

I think hell be fine.

And when asked Sunday if Hutson can learn how to defend in the NHL at his size, Vincent had a similar answer that gave the impression he doesnt expect to work with him in Laval.

Advertisement I believe so, and the reason Im saying that is Ive experienced coaching guys like Tobias Enstrom, Vincent said.

Hes retired now, but he was a smaller defenceman, and they find a way, with their sticks, with their body positioning, getting the puck back, thats the way to defend; controlling sticks.

Same thing in Winnipeg, Josh Morrissey , smaller defenceman, hes blocking shots, hes playing a physical game, but an I.Q.

way above average and an ability to move the puck.

I think hes going to be fine.

I think hes really smart and he finds ways to get the puck back.

Hutson has been finding ways to get the puck back at his size his whole life.

Of course, doing it against the best players in the world will be different, but he has a baseline of knowledge on what techniques he can use.

We saw an example of one Sunday afternoon.

Watch here as Hutson goes to retrieve a puck along the end boards, knowing he has a Maple Leafs forechecker on his back because he shoulder checks just before arriving at the puck.

He then subtly shifts his body over to the right while leaving his stick on the puck, allowing him to avoid the contact but still pull the puck out of the pile and move it along before getting hit by a second forechecker.

Any time you dont have to take contact, its always pretty nice, Hutson said with a smile when asked about that play.

Its something Im still working on, too.

We saw today, hits happen, and you can be in vulnerable spots sometimes, youve still got to be aware of whos coming for you.

But its something Ive been working on and continue to work on.

This wont always work in the NHL, lets be clear.

But Hutson needs to learn how to make it work in the NHL, because what he can do with the puck on his stick is so special, so rare, that the Canadiens would be best served as an organization if Hutson can learn to make the adjustments necessary to his defensive game adjustments he has made at every level hes ever played as soon as possible so they can reap the full benefit of his dazzling offensive tool kit that much sooner.

Advertisement And even that offensive game will need to adjust because those shoulder fakes and dancing along the offensive blue line wont work all the time in the NHL, either.

Opponents will watch video and adjust, which will require an adjustment on Hutsons part as well, as Vincent mentioned.

Hutson will surely give back some of the goals he creates, and he might need to eventually go work on that in the AHL if he doesnt show an ability to survive defensively in the NHL.

But he should be given the opportunity to learn those things in the NHL so he can play with better teammates and also learn how they play, to start the process of adjusting his game to the best league in the world right away.

Just knowing guys tendencies, like if a guy likes to hang on to his one-timer side, Ill know hes just going to go there.

Or if a guy on a breakout likes to swing low into my ice, I know to get them with speed, Hutson said when asked how much he studies his teammates.

Its all over the ice, and its huge.

Processing information is what makes Hutson so effective.

He needs access to that information to learn how to process it.

(Photo of Lane Hutson in Sundays prospects game: David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.