Following the conclusion of the NCAA season on Saturday, April 13, a number of highly skilled college athletes are leaving their studies early to enter the professional ranks in anticipation of the upcoming campaign.
Taking advantage of the situation, the Montreal Canadiens, among others, announced the signing of defenseman Lane Hutson to an entry-level three-year contract. Hutson gets paid $950K a year and his contract is worth $2.85 million, according to PuckPedia.
On April 13, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes verified the deal, saying that Hutson will impromptu join the team in Detroit prior to Monday’s game, when the prospect is anticipated to make his Habs debut.
Hutson was chosen in the 2022 NHL draft’s second round, at pick No. 62 overall. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic believes he is the finest prospect in the Canadiens farm system. The teenage blueliner, who is 5-foot-10 and 161 pounds, will leave Boston University early and presumably join the Habs soon after this season ends.
Lane Hutson of the Canadiens Is Anticipated to Make His Debut This Season Following his signing, Hutson will be able to play in the final three games of the regular season for the Habs.
But that’s going to burn through the first year of his three-year entry-level deal.
By making this choice, the Canadiens acknowledge Hutson’s abilities while also acknowledging that they will need to renegotiate a contract when Hutson becomes a restricted free agency at the end of the 2026 campaign.
“Playing in front of those supporters would undoubtedly be one of my goals someday. Additionally, it’s something I can anticipate.”
With Hutson’s arrival, Montreal’s blueline appears bright for the future—and it hasn’t even fully developed yet, since defenseman David Reinbacher is now the team’s second-best prospect in the farm system.
On March 18, the Canadians assigned Reinbacher to the Laval Rocket, their AHL affiliate. He was playing for HC Kloten in Switzerland before that.
