Lane Hutson sees his size as one of his biggest advantages entering the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
The defenseman for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team is 5-foot-8, 148 pounds. That size allows him to be a physical presence, albeit in a very unique way.
"I feel like that's something that the coaches really stressed about to me, being able to use my frame as much as I can and using it in a smart way," Hutson said. "I feel like I've gotten better at getting under guys and just getting into their hips with all my weight and just disrupting the plays that they're trying to make. It's gotten a lot better this year, so it's really fun."
Scouts certainly had fun watching Hutson, who had 63 points (10 goals, 53 assists) in 60 games and is No. 25 on NHL Central Scouting's
final ranking of North American skaters
.
"Lane is so elusive and crafty with the puck," Central Scouting senior manager David Gregory said. "He invites pressure because he knows with his mobility and puck skills, he can avoid defenders and create offense. Despite being undersized he competes hard and is not afraid to play the game in traffic. High-end vision and an ability to process quickly allow him to see opportunities that other players don't."
Hutson's offensive skills draw the attention, but it's the work that goes into it that impressed his coaches.
"He's ultra-competitive," said Adam Nightingale, who coached Hutson the past two seasons at the NTDP. "If you were to watch our practice every day, there's not a time ... every rep is 100 percent and done with detail. Offensively he's got big-time poise, big-time moxie. A ton of deception to his game where he's almost like a point guard out there. And then defensively, I don't know if he gets enough credit for how good he is defending. He's got a really good stick and he understands using size to his advantage and leverage and getting underneath guys.
"I remember [former NHL coach] Dan Bylsma came to our practice a year ago and he's just watching and afterwards he's like man, I've never a kid with a stick like that. His stick is unbelievable, the way he's able to strip guys. He's a fun kid to coach for sure."
The 18-year-old credits his competitiveness to growing up the second of four brothers. His older brother, 20-year-old forward Quinn Hutson plays for Muskegon in the United States Hockey League and will join Lane at Boston University next season. Cole Hutson, 15, will play for the NTDP Under-17 team next season. Lars Hutson, 13, plays for a Triple-A hockey team in New Jersey.
