JUST IN: Canadien sign Top Notch Sensition to NHL entry-level contract
Canadiens fans who have been eagerly anticipating Lane Hutson’s debut in the NHL don’t have to wait much longer.
On Friday afternoon, the Canadiens made an announcement stating that Lane Hutson, the 20-year-old defenseman, has reached an agreement on a three-year NHL entry-level contract. Hutson’s team, Boston University, was eliminated from the NCAA Frozen Four tournament on Thursday night after a 2-1 overtime loss to Denver in the semifinals.
In the 2022 NHL Draft, the Canadiens selected Lane Hutson, a 5-foot-10, 162-pound defenseman, in the second round with the 62nd overall pick. This was the same draft year in which the Canadiens also picked Juraj Slafkovsky as the No. 1 overall pick, followed by Filip Mesar at the 26th pick and Owen Beck at the 33rd pick, before ultimately selecting Hutson.
During his two seasons playing for Boston University, Hutson showcased his skills by accumulating 30 goals and 67 assists, resulting in a total of 97 points in 77 games. He also maintained an impressive combined plus-minus rating of plus-39. Hailing from Michigan, Hutson was not only a valuable player for his university team but also had the opportunity to represent the United States in international competitions. He won a bronze medal at last year’s world junior championship and followed it up with a gold medal this year.
The Canadiens are scheduled to face the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday at 7 p.m., with the game being broadcasted on Citytv, SNE, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, and 98.5 FM. However, Lane Hutson, who recently signed with the Canadiens, is not expected to join the team until Sunday when they travel to Detroit. The Canadiens will play against the Red Wings on Monday night before concluding their season with another game against the Red Wings on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
en attendant l'arrivée de Hutson, voici un clip jamais publié de son repêchage
while we wait for Lane to join us, here's an unreleased clip from his #NHLDraft#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/rHMNfLUdoD
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 12, 2024
According to CapFriendly.com, Lane Hutson’s three-year contract with the Canadiens is valued at US$2.85 million, including a US$95,000 signing bonus each year. This deal is structured as a two-way contract, meaning Hutson will earn different salaries depending on whether he plays in the NHL or the AHL’s Laval Rocket. In the NHL, he will have an annual salary-cap hit of US$950,000, while his AHL salary will be US$82,500.
If Hutson gets the opportunity to play a game with the Canadiens this season, it will count as the first year of his entry-level contract. This approach is similar to what the Canadiens did in the past with defenseman Jordan Harris and forward Sean Farrell when they signed their respective entry-level deals after leaving their university teams.
It’s worth noting that when the Canadiens initially drafted Hutson, he stood at 5-foot-8 and weighed 158 pounds. This was after he had already been recognized as the top defenseman at the world U18 championship.
“When we drafted him, I initially thought, ‘Oh, an undersized defenseman,'” commented Rob Ramage, the Canadiens’ director of player development, during the team’s development camp last summer, when asked about Hutson. However, Ramage had the opportunity to closely observe Hutson’s performance throughout the year and was consistently impressed. Ramage highlighted Hutson’s intelligence, knack for finding opportunities on the ice, and his ability to make things happen in the offensive zone.
According to Ramage, every game he attended, Hutson made a significant impact and was often the best player on the ice, contributing game-winning plays and demonstrating his overall skill set.
During this season at Boston University, Hutson recorded impressive statistics, with 15 goals, 34 assists, and a total of 49 points in 38 games. His outstanding performance resulted in him being named a first-team All-American. Furthermore, Hutson was recognized as one of the top 10 finalists for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, which honors the best player in NCAA hockey.
Macklin Celebrini, Hutson’s teammate at Boston University, was recently awarded the Hobey Baker Award on Friday. Celebrini, a 17-year-old freshman from Vancouver, had an impressive season, recording 32 goals, 32 assists, and a total of 64 points in 38 games. His outstanding performance has positioned him as the expected No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft.
During his time at Boston University, Hutson wore the No. 20 jersey, which is the same number worn by Slafkovsky in the Canadiens organization. However, Hutson will now switch to wearing No. 48.
