Canadiens GM Kent Hughes reveals reason why Montreal snubbed Lane Hutson's brother Cole at NHL draft 

Lane Hutson's brother Cole Hutson was rumored to get drafted by the Montreal Canadiens during the first round of the 2024 NHL draft. Back then, Lane's impact on the Canadiens was not known as he had only played two games for the team during the 2023-24 NHL season and had two assists in those games.

The Canadiens passed on Cole despite the mock drafts placing him between the 20th and 35th picks. Now, Lane is a popular player in Montreal. In his first full rookie season, he has broken many records after scoring 5 goals and 48 assists in 68 games.

Now once again the talks of the Canadiens passing on Lane Hutson's brother Cole were brought to life.

On Wednesday, Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes explained the decision on "Frankly Speaking" by Daily Faceoff. When NHL insider Frank Seravalli asked about it, Hughes clarified their reasoning. He said Montreal rated Hutson higher than where he was selected but had other priorities.

(6:15) "We had him rated higher than he went, too, if I remember correctly. But I think, you know, it's one thing to have, first of all, we, you, got a size factor combined with a left-shot factor for us," Hughes said.

Cole Hutson, a 5-foot-10, 172-pound left-shot defenseman, did not fit their needs. Hughes noted that Montreal already had many puck-moving defensemen, including prospect Adam Engström in Laval. Adding another smaller, left-handed defenseman was not the best move for their future.

"We've got other puck-moving D in our, uh, pool. You know, the Engstrom kid in Laval is a real good puck-moving defenseman, so I think there's a lot of different factors that come into play, um, but, no, we wouldn't have taken him earlier than, uh, than with one of our two picks. Understood," Hughes added.

Cole Hutson was eventually drafted 43rd overall by the Washington Capitals in the second round. The 18-year-old has excelled at Boston University, recording 39 points, including 12 goals, in 34 games. He is the second-highest scorer on his team.

Lane Hutson’s progress impresses Kent Hughes

The Calder Trophy race is close, with no clear leader. Lane Hutson, Dustin Wolf and Macklin Celebrini are top contenders. Hutson leads all rookies in points and ranks sixth among defensemen in scoring.

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes discussed Lane Hutson’s season on the same episode of "Frankly Speaking." He said Hutson’s impact goes beyond his offensive numbers. He plays in key defensive situations and has improved since the season began. Hughes said Hutson needed time to adjust but learned quickly.

(5:07) “To me, it’s amazing," Hughes said. "Even if I were to think of his last year at Boston University to now, the difference in the kind of hockey player.

"So it demonstrates there’s a high level of intelligence to be able to understand what he can get away with and what he can’t get away with and be able to make those adjustments to his game.

"That is not that common with young players. They usually come and try to force their game, their recipe on each successive level," Hughes said. "Eventually, they figure it out, whereas I think Lane figured it out quicker."

Hughes praised Lane Hutson’s ability to adapt at each level. Many young players take longer to adjust, but Hutson figured it out fast.