Canadiens' Lane Hutson receives sky-high praise from Habs franchise's 8-time Stanley Cup winning icon

Montreal Canadiens rookie sensation Lane Hutson earned high praise from NHL legend and eight-time Stanley Cup winner Serge Savard.

In his debut season with the Habs, Hutson set a new franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman, surpassing Chris Chelios’ previous mark of 64 with 66 points.

He also tied Larry Murphy’s NHL record for assists by a rookie defenseman with 60 and finished tied for fourth all-time in points by a rookie defenseman. Lane Hutson won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie and placed ninth in Norris Trophy voting for the best defenseman.

On Tuesday, Savard called Hutson potentially the most talented Habs player since Guy Lafleur:

"Time will tell, but he's probably the most talented player the Canadiens have had since Guy Lafleur," Savard via NHL. "Ever since I saw him, from the very beginning, I said he was the Canadiens' best player. I was convinced early on that he would be a big star in the National Hockey League.”

He added:

"The things he can do, not many people can do that," Savard said. "Naturally, you're always scared when a 6-foot-4 guy comes from his blind side at 100 miles an hour, but he's so agile and always finds a way to get out of the way. He's not afraid to play when a game is very intense."

Serge Savard is one of only three NHL players tied for the most Stanley Cup wins, with eight championships. All his titles were won during his 15-year career with the Montreal Canadiens, spanning the 1966-67 to 1980-81 seasons.

NHL insider provides latest on Lane Hutson's contract extension with Montreal

NHL insider Chris Murphy shared the latest on Lane Hutson’s contract situation with the Montreal Canadiens.

During an appearance on "The Sick Podcast" last week, Murphy suggested that Hutson will be treated well.

"I don't know when they do it, but I think it's in their back pocket, and Hudson knows that the team knows it's just understood," Murphy said.

He added:

"I don't think, I think they said, 'Look, we need to take that next step. We just took a giant step last year. We need to keep going up right now. Let us figure that out. But don't you worry, you're going to get treated well."

Lane Hutson was drafted No. 62 overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2022 NHL draft. The 21-year-old is in the final year of his three-year, $4.45 million contract with the Habs.