Although the Montreal Canadiens finished near the bottom of the standings, their season wasn’t disappointing. Captain Nick Suzuki had a career year, scoring 33 goals and 77 points. Cole Caulfield showed progression, scoring 28 goals and 63 points and playing a more complete game. Young star Juraj Slafkovsky, after a slow start, finished the season strong with 20 goals and 50 points in his sophomore season. The Canadiens also got to see the debut of young defenceman Lane Hutson, and in his short two-game stint, he did more than impress, scoring two points and looking like he belonged.
Hutson looked excellent in his two games, but it was still just two games at the end of a long season. As exciting as it is to hopefully have a player of his calibre be the future offensive backbone of the Canadiens’ blue line, the team must not rush his progress and be sure he’s ready before putting him in challenging situations.
Hutson Should Be In Canadiens’ Lineup in 2024-25
There is no mistaking Hutson’s talent; he was successful no matter what league or tournament he played in. He dominated the league in two seasons in the NCAA and was the top-scoring under-19 defender since Brian Leetch, who scored 97 points in 77 games with Boston University. He continued his success this season with six points in seven games at the World Junior Championship (WJC) with Team USA. After his college season, he decided it was time to move on and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens. With only two games left, Montreal quickly got him to Detroit to play his first game in his home state of Michigan. He recorded an assist in an OT loss to the Detroit Red Wings and, the next night in Montreal, recorded an assist on Slafkovsky’s 20th goal of the season.
It was a small sample size, but Hutson proved that he could handle the speed and toughness of the NHL. He averaged just under 23 minutes a game and didn’t look out of place. Granted, he probably won’t average that many minutes next season if he starts in Montreal, but he should get his fair share of time on the ice and the power play (PP). If Martin St. Louis treats him like other rookies, he will probably start on the second pair and earn minutes as he develops. Like Slafkovsky, St. Louis will want to work on Hutson’s weak points before opening the gates and letting him control top pair minutes and PP time.
Canadiens Should Wait to Trade Matheson
With the emergence of Hutson in Montreal, many fans think it’s the right time to trade Mike Matheson. He had a career season, scoring 62 points and showing he can be a top offensive force on the blue line. With two years left on his contract at $4.8 million, he also provides any team wanting him with an excellent contract for his production, and by the time the Canadiens are ready to be legitimate contenders, his contract will be over. The Habs are also in a position where they need to add skill up front to push towards that contender goal, and many think Matheson can be a crucial asset in getting that player through a trade. Many teams would love to have defencemen who score like Matheson on their roster and could be willing to give up a skilled forward to acquire one.
Related: What Canadiens Will Do This Offseason, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
The issue with moving Matheson is that it leaves Hutson vulnerable and exposed in his first season. Hutson’s first two games were impressive, but he still has much to learn, especially on the defensive side. If the Canadiens want to press forward next season and challenge for a playoff spot, trading Matheson may not be the best move. There have been whispers that Montreal could be shopping Matheson in a package for a star forward, but again, it’s just rumours and chat about possible trade candidates. Matheson’s value is at an all-time high, and trading him would give the team the best value, but it could also hurt them next season and hinder Hutson’s development.
Matheson Will Be Traded, Just Not This Offseason
The Canadiens will end up trading Matheson before the end of 2025-26 when his contract is over; the question is when will be the best time to move him? If the Habs knew that Hutson could slide perfectly into Matheson’s position without issue, then right now would be the best time to move the veteran defenceman. Matheson has a team-friendly contract and is coming off his best season ever – his value is super high. He could be the deciding piece in any trade for a young star forward that Montreal desperately needs, and any contending team should be all over a move for him. The Canadiens, however, don’t know what they have in Hutson, yet everything points to a star defenceman with outstanding offensive abilities and a reasonably good defensive game. The NCAA is not the NHL, though, and he may not be as good as people think. After all, he has only two NHL games under his belt.
The problem with holding on to Matheson is that he may not have another season like he did this season. His previous season’s high was 31 points. Since becoming a Canadien, his offence has flourished; last season, he scored 34 points in 48 games, which was a 58-point pace. He also increased his minutes played by almost six, going from 18 minutes a game to an average of over 24. Even if he can stay around 55 points for next season, his value will still be high, and Montreal can move him once they feel comfortable that Hutson is ready to be the top offensive defenceman.
Related: Canadiens’ Defensemen: Who Stays & Who Goes?
There is a lot of talk, but general manager Kent Hughes may not make a big move this offseason. If he does, it will probably involve one of the other defencemen like Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble or Justin Barron. This could leave the door open for the team to move two significant pieces at the deadline and give them a massive push for the 2025-26 season, the season they are looking to make big moves to improve the team.
