Corey Pronman justifies Lane Hutson's cutthroat #34 ranking in U23 players list due to Canadiens D-man's lack of physicality

Corey Pronman explained why Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson landed at No. 34 on his U23 players list. He pointed to Hutson’s lack of physicality as a concern despite an outstanding rookie year.

Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season where he posted six goals and 66 points in 82 games, establishing himself as one of the league’s most exciting young blueliners. Still, Pronman stood by the ranking.

He praised Hutson’s elite vision, creativity and ability to run a power play, noting how effective he is at controlling the puck and creating plays from the blue line. But Pronman also pointed out the weaknesses: Hutson’s smaller frame.

“There's no doubt about Hutson's offense; the doubt comes down to his defense. He's a small defenseman without high-end feet or physicality." Pronman said.

"He works hard, but he can get bullied in physical play, and without high-end athletic traits, he will have trouble defending the fastest, strongest forwards, especially in the playoffs.

While Pronman believes Hutson will pile up points and log heavy minutes, he feels the Canadiens will need to pair him with sturdier defensemen to handle tougher matchups.

At the top of the U23 rankings, Macklin Celebrini earned the No. 1 spot, followed by Connor Bedard.

Lane Hutson left off Team USA’s Olympic orientation roster

One of the biggest surprises from Team USA’s 44-player orientation camp for the 2026 Winter Olympics was the absence of Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. The camp, held August 26–27 in Plymouth, Michigan, gave USA Hockey an early look at its potential roster, but Hutson’s name was nowhere to be found.

Asked about it ahead of the Hush Hockey Challenge, Hutson downplayed the snub.

"There are some really good American players, I wish them the best and enjoy the camp. For me, I'm just getting ready for the season.” Lane Hutson said.

While he admitted that representing the U.S. on the Olympic stage would be a dream, Hutson noted that the season is long and opportunities can still come up down the road.

USA Hockey has already unveiled its first wave of Olympic roster picks for 2026, featuring some of the nation’s biggest stars. Headlining the group are Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews, joined by brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, along with defensemen Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy.