Calder race: Lane Hutson could end up 5th

If he has a good camp and everything goes well at the start of the season, Lane Hutson should – technically – have the opportunity to spend next season in Montreal.

That said, he’ll be part of an impressive group of rookies, and ultimately, we have to wonder whether he has any chance of winning the Calder Trophy.

It’s going to be tough because there will be several interesting candidates, but the possibility is still on the table.

That said, Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) is an expert on prospects and he’s done the exercise of creating a ranking of the players most likely to win the Calder next season.

At the top of the list is Matvei Michkov (Philadelphia)…

Macklin Celebrini (San Jose) follows in 2nd place…

Logan Stankoven (Dallas) is 3rd on the list… And Cutter Gauthier rounds out the top-4 in Scott Wheeler’s ranking.

That said, Lane Hutson’s name appears in 5th place:

Our annual Calder Trophy ranking and preview at @TheAthletic:
1. Matvei Michkov (PHI)
2. Macklin Celebrini (SJS)
3. Logan Stankoven (DAL)
4-20 + honorable mentions, with @harmandayal2: https://t.co/7SYlGYAITF pic.twitter.com/hRGZEbAd6n

– Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) September 5, 2024

Fun fact: Joshua Roy is also in Scott Wheeler’s ranking.

He’s placed 16th on the list, behind Bradly Nadeau (Carolina) and Josh Doan (Utah).

But if we come back to Lane Hutson, his candidacy for the Calder will depend on his playing time and how the Canadiens want to use him.

Lately, we’ve been hearing that he could be part of a rotation group on the Habs’ blue line… And it’s not by playing 50 games that he’ll be able to compete with the other NHL rookies for the Calder.

That said, in the end… the Calder isn’t the most important trophy if the Habs are able to develop Hutson properly.

The primary objective is to see the defenseman be good in Montreal for years to come.

After that, if he’s able to win individual trophies, that will simply be a plus.