Toronto Maple Leafs players are tipping their hats to young Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson following his standout preseason performance.The Maple Leafs fell 4-2 to Montreal on Saturday, with Hutson scoring his first preseason goal. Using slick footwork and a quick release, he beat Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz with a stylish shot in the second period.Hutson’s performance earned plenty of praise from the Leafs locker room. Anthony Stolarz called him:“so shifty, so patient at the point… a special player.”The Leafs’ forward Nicholas Roy added that Hutson is:"So fast. Feels like he’s got one of the best cardios. I feel like he’s never stopping"Dakota Joshua described him as a:"Helluva player. Really quick & agile. He keeps you guessing"This comes just a day after Toronto had handed Montreal a 7-2 defeat.Hutson, last season’s Calder Trophy winner, had an outstanding rookie campaign with six goals and 66 points in 82 games.NHL analyst Nick Kypreos on Lane Hutson's performanceNHL analyst Nick Kypreos shared his thoughts on Lane Hutson’s performance, praising the young defenseman’s unique style of play. Kypreos noted that Hutson plays a different game than most players.“You watch him & he’s playing a different game than everybody else…Any time you’re lined up against him, you better be on your toes, cause his lateral movements are amongst the best out there right now in the game.” Kypreos said on Sportsnet./r/Habs @HabsOnRedditLINKSportsnet’s Nick Kypreos on Lane Hutson: “You watch him & he’s playing a different game than everybody else…Any time you’re lined up against him, you better be on your toes, cause his lateral movements are amongst the best out there right now in the game.” “He’s gotten himselfHe also compared Hutson to elite defenders, saying he has reached a level where he can control a game like Vancouver’s captain Quinn Hughes and Colorado’s Cale Makar.After the game, Hutson talked about his off-season work and explained he focused on becoming faster and stronger, preparing to come into the season ready to compete.“Just working on trying to get faster, stronger, come ready to play. Lots of reflecting on what went well, what didn’t, why certain things didn’t go well…I still feel that I got tons to clean up for myself, but I feel confident with where things are going.” Lane Hutson said. (3:10 onwards)Lane Hutson is entering the final year of his three-year, $2,850,000 contract, which runs through the end of the 2025-26 season, making him a restricted free agent afterward.