Hutson for Durzi

Team: 2022-23 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 22, 2023

Published: Feb. 22, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

The Scratches Section is whom i think will be gone in 9 -10 days at the TDL.
Wont bother making those trades the focus here is Durzi for Hutson and the cost.


Lane Hutson is 5'10 first off before anyone comes to try about site's that arent updated regularly saying otherwise check out NCAA's official site for Lane Hutsons team which clearly marks the 2 inch growth spirt last fall . Only reason i noticed the announcers during NCAA games dont shut up about it and the comparisons to Makar .


Hutson address's LAK LD Depth Quality as a team VERY Deep in RD to the same degree MTL is with LD.
We'd have to move a Ghule or a Matheson to make this work , even then Harris ,Xhekaj, Kovacevic, and Struble will be pushing for minutes to this year and next.
Trudeau and Beaudin are great AHL call up options this year with Norlinder to a lesser degree there also.

We got Adam Engstrom according to coaches they've had to escort out of the building for training too much i kid you not. With his team daily , with Junior teams , by himself and never wants to leave the ice. His on ice game shows its paying off as he's 2nd in Rookie production in SHL only to Bystedt (i butchered the name im sure) and contiunes to absorb minutes . He's a Darnell Nurse level Athlete who knows no other way but to train all out all the time .

Clearly Engstrom like Hutson has become a unique variable.
If im choosing between the 2 im taking the dude dominating in a stacked SHL.
Hutsons a Norris Trophy caliber guy 100% no doubts .
Just when i see the interviews and maturity with the way he carries himself i think Lidstrom who was The Norris Trophy Guy for a long period of time based on insane conditioning among other things, but i digress.


Struble has a shot to push out first Wideman then Savard early.
He played beside Harris for 3/4 pro season with the first season and a half on his Right Side.
It was the only way he could get minutes and those were great seasons for Harris offensively.
They form kind of a Eddy-Petry type dynamic that 1st year and assuming his team continues their run in the playoffs he'll be up around 2nd week of April to play at the latest.


Beaudin has an edge because in 10 games beside Barron they did more on PP then
The entire Laval Roster combined in the previous almost 30 games.
They pass effortlessly to each other and seem to have an instant chemistry .
If injuries happen he might buy himself the rest of the year in the NHL the way we're going.

Trudeau is just boned despite overachieving i have better odds of finding my innonence again then he has of making MTL's roster full time .
We'd have to lose someone longterm like Ghule or Matheson for him to get a shot in a very small time frame
Thats the only way i see him pushing someone our as RD has better options today atleast .
Which would have been his best chance to showcase his talent


Our Right Defense on the other hand is Barron, Mailloux and project player Tournigy
Thats it outside Savard and Wideman who will be gone the minute they can be pushed out.


Durzi for Hutson makes sense for MTL.
For LAK assuming they see him as more then just a top 10 NCAA scorer but also as a fit to a hole they have.
Bjornfot isnt that guy and Anderson cant play both top 4 LD roles by himself long term.
Hutson fits in nicely between them though and offers the same PP playmaking ability Durzi does.
Question becomes now ,Whats the Cost?

I'm not sure as i've had LAK fans tell me fill that LD hole and a 2nd or a 3rd and Durzi's ours
But ive also heard he's untouchable unless they get a Romanov type deal and a prospect
I'm willing to do either , i dont care as this post is solely about finding the middle ground on cost.


All i ask is be productive in your comments

I'm starting out with us paying for NHL ready vs close to NHL ready /maybe next year.
I figure Durzi and Hutson need balance and the edge needs to go to LAK
Kidney gives LAK time and a wiaver exempt player for 3 years vs 1 with Turcotte.
Kidney is at a better place then Turcotte is as he struggles in his 3rd year Pro in LAK system.
1st round pick gives both teams insurance as a 2024 pick is worth it for MTL while a 2023 if Turcotte someone breaks out is worth it to LAK

Both Kidney and Hutson could be ready as soon as next training camp.
If Hutson wins the Hobey then like 95% of all winners i expect he'll turn Pro.
Kidney could got back to Junior for a Suzuki like Memorial Cup run whether he wins this year or not.
He's got better odds of making the jump to the NHL with a little more time to pack on muscle as his style of play is Gallagher style spark plug/team guy.
Again Skill set is at the same level but unlike Turcotte i find Kidney's built for battling that comes with bottom 6 roles.

Turcotte i feel if all works out could be a nice option for us .
His age /point in his career he's at fits the gap in our center depth during this rebuild.
Playing inbetween Suzuki and Dvorak could be great and buy us a year until PLD's a UFA.
IF he overachieve's though he'll put us in a position where we wont need PLD .


Both teams gain and both teams win
MTL is the one taking the biggest risk as its a lot more uncertain Turcotte makes the NHL then Kidney or Hutson.
Durzi's a big piece but from what i gathered at the highest a Romanov type deal was ask for.
Well it may be conditional but that FLA pick fits the bill and odds are LAK will convert on it as MTL needs centers and Turcotte would be top call up by proxy.