Hockey

Lane Hutson: here’s the other reason he wasn’t invited to the U.S. camp
Félix Forget
Lane Hutson: here’s the other reason he wasn’t invited to the U.S. camp
Credit: Getty Images

This week, we learned the identity of the players invited by the United States to the orientation camp for the upcoming Olympics. The Habs were obviously keeping an eye on Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson… and while the former was invited, the latter was ignored.We knew it was in the air (Tony Marinaro reported it at the beginning of the month), but it was confirmed this week.And of course, it got people talking. Hutson, after all, has just racked up 66 points and won the Calder Trophy, so it's a bit surprising that he wasn't even invited, especially when 16 other defenders were.His absence from the Worlds was cited as one reason for his absence, but in reality, there's another that makes sense: the fact that Quinn Hughes exists.Because on the same team, there's not really room for Hutson and Hughes.

Hutson, in terms of pure talent, would undoubtedly have deserved to be invited to this camp. In fact, even in a world where he has no chance of making the team, it's a bit special for Team USA not to invite Hutson who, one day or another, may well be part of the country's brigade in international competition.Inviting him to acclimatize him would have been wise, but we opted for another avenue. At this level, it's true that it's ridiculous not to have invited him,but in reality, there's no place for Hutson on the U.S. brigade. Hughes will already be there to lead the first wave, and Zach Werenski is capable of handling the second.Could Hutson have done it? Yes, without a doubt… but two small defenders in the same brigade would have been daring, especially after what happened at the 4 Nations Confrontation.

When you look at the other left-handed defenders who have been the talk of the town (for example, Brady Skjei, Jackson LaCombe, Alex Vlasic and Luke Hughes), you'll notice that these guys are all slightly bigger defenders who are capable of filling different roles. Hutson is objectively much better than Skjei, for example, but the latter is a little more versatile in terms of the hats he can wear. If, for example, Quinn Hughes were to get injured between now and the Olympics, I havethe impression that the Habs defenseman could quickly be considered, despite his absence from the Worlds. But since both guys fill exactly the same role (and there's no point in having two guys fill that role), we might as well invite other players to try and fill the other roles, which are a little more prone to competition.Because yes, sooner or later, Hutson's turn will come. Especially if he really has the knife between his teeth this season.

'Overtime'

– Jake Evans is now the father of twins.

– Ah.

– Well done.

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