UPDATE DAY
Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson has made many eyes widen this season and NCAA East Division officials acknowledged him Monday by making him one of the finalists for the obtaining player and rookie of the year awards.
A second-round pick, the 62nd overall, of the Habs in the National Hockey League (NHL) draft last year, the 19-year-old defenseman played his first campaign with the Boston University Terriers. In 34 games, he had 12 goals and 32 assists for 44 points, while posting a differential of +23. The American also represented his country at the most recent World Junior Championship, registering a goal and three assists in seven games. The United States also got their hands on the bronze medal.
For the title of hockey player par excellence, Hutson will fight in particular with Quebec goaltender Devon Levi, who played with the Northeastern Huskies. He was selected in the seventh round by the Florida Panthers in 2020 and went to the Buffalo Sabers organization the following year, in a trade involving Sam Reinhart.
L he other contender for the award is Alex Jefferies, the New York Islanders' 2020 fourth-round pick playing for the Merrimack College Warriors. Cutter Gauthier (Philadelphia Flyers) and Matthew Wood (undrafted in the NHL) will fight for the award for the best rookie, they who play respectively with the Boston College Eagles and the Connecticut Huskies.