Off the ice, Lane Hutson is shy, cold and self-conscious.

Everyone knows Lane Hutson’s great potential. The young man, who will be returning to university next year, has the potential to become an excellent offensive defenseman in the NHL.

We obviously don’t know if his NCAA game will translate to the NHL, but we can be hopeful.

Why? Because he looks good when he plays in Boston, but also with the USA jersey on his back. The young player did well against men at the World Championship.

We know he’s a Habs fan’s dream, but he still has areas for improvement. For example? He needs to put on some weight, get better without the puck, stuff like that.

But he also needs to improve off the ice.

In an interview yesterday, Francis Bouillon talked about the young man and revealed that the defenseman is, in fact, very self-conscious in everyday life, i.e. when he’s not skating.

As Marc de Foy wrote, with skates on his feet, Hutson can be compared to P.K. Subban in his prime. Francis Bouillon certainly did.

But the Montreal Canadiens’ development coach also asserts that away from the ice, it’s different.

He’s probably the shyest guy I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t make sense! He’s cold and awkward. He doesn’t feel comfortable in front of people.

But Lane becomes a completely different man as soon as he gets his skates on. – Francis Bouillon

Bouillon was like that at the start of his career. You can tell from his tone that it’s not the end of the world if he’s more self-conscious at the moment, but that he’ll still have to work on it for the future.

We know he has talent, a good field hockey IQ and speed. So he’ll have to work on his weight, his defensive game and his discomfort. It’s not bad to be a bit reserved in Montreal, but at the same time, he’ll be a boy in demand.

In bursts

– Indeed.

– Seen the same.

– What to watch for.

– The 1,000-buck question.

– He’s injured as often as a Habs player.

– That much is clear.