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Chris Pronger wasnt exactly subtle when he talked about Lane Hutson earlier this season.
The Hall of Famer basically called Hutson a water bug.
His arms and legs were flying everywhere, tons of energy, but not always with a clear sense of direction.
The criticism was that Hutson was busy without being purposeful.
Flashy, yes.
Structured? Not yet.
In his first real taste of postseason hockey, Hutson didnt just survive he helped carry the Montreal Canadiens deep into the spring.
Sixteen points in 19 games.
Heavy minutes.
Constant involvement in the attack.
The same player some people worried was too chaotic suddenly looked like the most dangerous defenseman on the ice night after night.
That busy style turned into relentless pressure and playmaking when the games mattered most.
It was a genuine surprise to many people who had bought into the water-bug narrative.
Hutson showed he could channel that energy, read the ice better under pressure, and still create chaos in a good way.
The Canadiens leaned on him heavily, and he delivered.
Now the big contract is signed: eight years, $70.8 million.
The celebration in the room when Martin St.
Louis announced it said a lot.
Teammates mobbed him.
Sticks banged.
That wasnt just politeness.
That was a young core recognizing one of their own locking in for the long haul.
Hutson is still only 21.
The poise he showed in the Calder race carried over into the playoffs, and the jump in structure and impact suggests hes only scratching the surface.
The busy feet and constant movement are still there, but the decision-making is catching up fast.
Pronger might have seen the raw version.
What the playoffs showed is the player hes capable of becoming starting to take shape.
If Hutson keeps growing the way he did this spring, Montreal didnt just sign a good young defenseman.
They signed a potential cornerstone who has already proved he can elevate when the lights get brightest.
That water bug is starting to look a lot more like a difference-maker.
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