Who is Lane Hutson? Age, height, draft, Calder Trophy, stats and his hockey brothers: the full story of the Montreal Canadiens' star defenceman.
They told him he was too small. Drafted only 62nd overall, Lane Hutson answered with a Calder Trophy, an assist record and a spot among the NHL's best defencemen before turning 23. Here is a portrait of the most exciting defenceman to wear a Canadiens jersey in a long time.
- 22-year-old defenceman, born February 14, 2004, in Holland, Michigan. He wears number 48.
- Montreal's second-round pick (62nd overall) in 2022, after two seasons at Boston University.
- 2025 Calder Trophy: the first Canadiens player to win it since Ken Dryden.
- 78 points in 2025-26, sixth in Norris Trophy voting. His younger brother Cole plays for the Capitals.
Who is Lane Hutson?
Lane Hutson is an offensive defenceman who plays like a fourth forward. At 5 feet 9, he is one of the smallest defencemen in the league, and one of the hardest to catch. He skates in zigzags, draws two defenders and finds the pass nobody else sees. At the Bell Centre, every time he touches the puck in the offensive zone, the crowd rises a little.
Too small? The numbers disagree
Hutson grew up in a hockey family, with brothers Quinn, Cole and Lars and parents Rob and Julie. With the U.S. National Team Development Program, he put up 63 points in 60 games with the under-18 team in 2021-22 and received the E.J. McGuire Award, given for excellence and character at the draft. Even so, 61 players went before him in 2022, mostly because of his size.
At Boston University, he dominated: 48 points in 39 games as a freshman, 49 points in 38 games as a sophomore. He also won gold at the 2024 World Junior Championship with the United States. He made his NHL debut at the very end of the 2023-24 season, with two assists in two games.
Lane Hutson's key moments
Picked in the second round, 62nd overall. Several teams hesitated because of his size.
66 points (6 goals, 60 assists) in 82 games. That is a Canadiens record for a rookie defenceman, and his 60 assists tied Larry Murphy's NHL record for a rookie defenceman.
He was named rookie of the year. The last Canadiens player to win it was Ken Dryden, in 1971-72.
Before his second season, he signed an eight-year extension with Montreal.
78 points, 12 goals, a plus-36 rating and close to 24 minutes a night. He finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting.
16 points in 19 playoff games, tied with Nick Suzuki for the team lead, all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
His NHL stats
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -2 |
| 2024-25 | 82 | 6 | 60 | 66 | -2 |
| 2025-26 | 82 | 12 | 66 | 78 | +36 |
| 2026-27* | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8 | +1 |
* As of October 15, 2026, after seven games. Source: NHL.
The Hutson brothers: a family affair
In the Hutson house, hockey is played four at a time. Quinn, the oldest, played with Cole at Boston University. Cole, the younger one, is also an offensive defenceman: drafted in the second round by the Washington Capitals in 2024, he led the 2025 World Junior Championship in scoring, a first for a defenceman. As kids, the brothers played two-on-two games at home, and the losing team had to start a fight.
On October 14, 2026, the two brothers faced each other in Washington. Lane scored a goal and set up Nick Suzuki's power-play goal. Cole picked up an assist, and the Capitals won 5-4. The details are in our live coverage of the game.
Also find out who Nick Suzuki is, his captain, and meet the rest of the team in our complete Canadiens 2026-27 guide.
Lane Hutson: your questions
How old is Lane Hutson?+
Lane Hutson was born on February 14, 2004, in Holland, Michigan. He is 22.
How tall is Lane Hutson?+
He is 5 feet 9 (1.75 m), making him one of the smallest defencemen in the NHL.
Where was Lane Hutson drafted?+
Montreal picked him in the second round, 62nd overall, at the 2022 NHL Draft.
Did Lane Hutson win the Calder Trophy?+
Yes. He was named NHL rookie of the year in 2025, after a 66-point season.
Does Lane Hutson have brothers in hockey?+
Yes. His brother Cole plays for the Washington Capitals. His older brother Quinn played at Boston University, and he also has a younger brother, Lars.
What number does Lane Hutson wear?+
He wears number 48.
Sources: NHL.com, The Hockey News, NHLPA.com, NHL.com, Cole Hutson, NHL.com, 2026 playoffs.
