A finalist for the Calder Trophy with the Habs next season?
The last time a member of the Montreal Canadiens hoisted the prestigious Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best rookie during the regular season, was none other than Ken Dryden in the 1971-72 season.
For younger fans, that doesn't mean much!
With early draft picks, it's worth wondering if we might soon see another Canadiens player winning this trophy in the coming years.
Ivan Demidov has every chance to be the first Canadiens player to win this trophy since Dryden in 2025-2026 if he crosses the Atlantic, but there might be another player who could come close as early as next season.
Though he's not the favorite to win the trophy, American defenseman Lane Hutson could be among the candidates for the Calder Trophy.
At least that's what Simon Boisvert suggested. He mentioned Hutson in the discussion on Friday while talking about possible candidates for this honor ahead of the next campaign and revisiting the Montreal Canadiens' prospects.
His compelling argument was based on the idea that Lane Hutson could and even should be the rookie defenseman who finishes the 2024-2025 NHL season with the most points. That is, if he starts the season in Montreal... Nothing is confirmed yet!
If Martin St. Louis uses him wisely and gives him power play time, the small American defenseman, often compared to Quinn Hughes, could rack up points at a higher rate than Brock Faber did in 2023-2024. This could be enough to put him at the top of the rookie defenseman points race. It remains to be seen, but it's possible.
It will be interesting to see how Hutson manages his energy over a full 82-game season (compared to 34 in the NCAA). He won't be alone in this fight, as he'll compete against the second overall pick of the 2024 draft, defenseman Artyom Levshunov, and defenseman Denton Mateychuk. It would be surprising if another rookie defenseman outshines this trio of elite rookie defensemen, but you never know how things might evolve.
The Calder Trophy for Lane Hutson in 2024-25? If he joins the Montreal Canadiens' regular lineup and plays 82 games, it's possible!
Simon Boisvert himself mentioned that it would take at least 60 points next season to be considered for the title. Even though he loves Macklin Celebrini, he's unsure if Celebrini can achieve this at 18. We're talking about a talented and complete player, but considering he will be quite isolated in San Jose and forward Will Smith will also be used in the top-6 as a center, it will be interesting to see how the coach utilizes these strengths. Russian Matvei Michkov should be used extensively in Philadelphia, while Logan Stankoven tore up the AHL with the Dallas Stars' farm team in 2023-2024 before joining the team and making a strong impression. Don't forget Cutter Gauthier and Shane Wright, two young players who will want to prove they belong to the elite of tomorrow.
All eyes will be on the Russian prodigy Matvei Michkov. The young man has exceptional hands and racked up points like a veteran in the KHL, even with a second-tier team in Sochi. It's all about points. Can Michkov, who is a scorer, really tally 60 points with the Flyers' players? Who will he play with? As a right winger, he'll need a center to support him, and unfortunately, Philadelphia's center line is either too young or too old. It will take some time to feed him and build a winning team!
What will his relationship with John Tortorella be like? Many things remain to be seen about him. There have been past concerns about his attitude. Will he be able to thrive under Torts' leadership?
In a favorable position, Lane Hutson could very well be among the top point-scorers with the offensive rookies. And even if he doesn't win the Calder Trophy, being a finalist or even just in the top-5 would be a great achievement for a young player drafted at the very end of the second round.
Credit: BPM Sports
Lane Hutson could be in a favorable position for the Calder
| POLL | ||
Which rookie will win the Calder Trophy at the end of 2024-2025 season? | ||
| Matvei Michkov | 39 | 18.7 % |
| Macklin Celebrini | 63 | 30.1 % |
| Lane Hutson | 95 | 45.5 % |
| Cutter Gauthier | 12 | 5.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
