Canadiens Rookie Making Calder Trophy Case

The Montreal Canadiens have one of the top rookies in the NHL this season.

Dec 7, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) plays the puck against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Montreal Canadiens are struggling through another season in the NHL. The team is 10-14-3, comfortably placing them in last place in the Atlantic Division.

While the Canadiens are likely out of the playoff race this season, their rookie defenseman Lane Hutson is ascending the Calder Trophy race. The 20-year-old blue liner has yet to record his first NHL goal, but he's quickly becoming the top rookie defender in the league this year.

Over his last six games, Hutson is achieving something no rookie defenseman ever has with the Canadiens. In the team's latest loss to the Washington Capitals, he notched an assist. It was the sixth straight game that he recorded a point, tying him for the longest point streak ever by a Canadiens' rookie.

The hot streak has not only put him in the pantheon of Montreal history, it also has rocketed Hutson up the rookie scoring leaderboard. He now sits behind only Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers for the rookie scoring lead. Again, it feels important to mention that he has done this without scoring a single goal in 2024. The puck-mover has 18 assists over the first 27 games of the season.

What also stands out about Hutson is how quickly he is earning more and more trust from head coach Martin St. Louis. It took a few games, but he's played at least 21 minutes of ice-time in every game but one since November of this year. It shows that St. Louis not only wants his best offensive defender on the ice more, it shows that he's willing to trust the rookie in defensive situations and crucial moments of the game.

That confidence is giving Hutson even more motivation to keep producing and the results are tangibly positive. He's shooting up the Calder Trophy conversation, and if he keeps scoring like this, he could overtake Michkov altogether for the top rookie in the NHL this season.

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