The Frozen Four is now in the National Championship. Denver is going to take on Boston College at the Xcel Energy Center for all of the marbles. That also means that Michigan and Boston University saw their seasons come to an end.
With both of those schools going down, that means that a few high-end NHL prospects could make a move to their team. We had the first big domino fall on Friday afternoon as Lane Hutson of BU signed with the team that drafted him in the Montreal Canadiens.
Hutson was one of the best defensemen in the country this season. He is known for his superior offense despite his smaller-than-average frame. He should be able to walk onto the Montreal Canadiens and be their most prolific defenseman (on offense) right away.
He may struggle with the defensive side of the game early as most teenagers do but that isn’t what his main focus is going to be even when he’s 28 years old.
Lane Hutson is going to make a great impact on the Montreal Canadiens
The Habs drafted and ultimately signed him to bring a ton of skill from the back end. His development on the actual defensive side of the puck would be a cherry on top.
With BU this season, Hutson had 15 goals and 34 assists for 49 points in 38 games played. With his ability to both score goals and help set them up, he was one of the most well-rounded offensive defensemen in college hockey. That should help him in the NHL.
Now that he is all signed up with the Canadiens, the question becomes when does he make his NHL debut? The Habs are on the road to take on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night followed by a road tilt with the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.
They then end the season with a home matchup against the Red Wings in the second half of a home-and-home. Only time will tell how many games Lane gets into with his NHL club now that he is officially signed.
It is a quick turnaround for a college player to get into an NHL lineup right after losing a huge game but now the focus becomes being a good pro. If he reaches his ceiling in the best league in the world, the Habs could do some great things.