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Lane Hutson: his father opens the door to seeing him play for Canada one day

Lane Hutson has not been invited to the U.S. Olympic orientation camp. As you already know, there’s been a lot of talk about this in recent weeks,but what we’ve learned since then is that the news hasn’t exactly made those around him very happy. And that makes sense: even if Quinn Hughes does exist, not inviting Hutson is… peculiar. and tonight, on an episode of his Recrutes HabsCast, Grant McCagg shared an interview with Lane’s father, Rob Hutson. Andin the following excerpt, which lasts a few minutes, you can feel Rob’s heart sinking… and he even goes so far as to mention something very interesting:

Yes, Lane could decide to represent Canada one day.

–

Rob Hutson

https://youtu.be/TQyFUjIhHd0?si=wRT1-F5rjUy94I-t&t=628 [content-ads]In fact, what you need to know is that although all four Hutson brothers were born in the USA, they are also Canadian citizens. This is something that the boys’ father explains during the podcast… and it’s interesting in the current context.Because we sense that the father feels he hasn’t been treated with dignity by USA Hockey, an organization in which he and his family have been involved for a long, long time.And of course, you might think that the Habs defenseman would have a better chance of playing for Canada than for the United States. After all, there’s a feeling south of the border that Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson aren’t wanted on the same squad… infact, Cale Makar is already the offensive superstar at the blue line… but he’s bigger than Hughes is. There‘s more of a way for Makar and Hutson to coexist, let’s say.So we’ll be keeping a close eye on all this over the next few years, but we agree it would be quite a turnaround. Spacer title=’Prolongation’] During the podcast, Lane’s father stated that his son is now 5’10” tall,and according to him, he’s starting to catch up with Nick Suzuki in terms of height.

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26-27: A salary cap of $104 million (minimum) is planned

Last season in the NHL (24-25), the salary cap was $88 M. For the 25-26 campaign… the salary cap will be $95.5 M in the National League. We know that the league is healthy and that the cap will go up in the next few years, but how high? But how high? According to David Pagnotta(Winnipeg Sports Talk), in 26-27… the cap could go as high as $104 M. In fact, the tipster told the podcast that it’s supposed to be “at least” $104 M for the 26-27 season, which is pretty notable.There are GMs in the NHL who are going to have a field day….

[content-ads] For a club like the Canadiens, for example, it’s really interesting.

Price’s contract, which is worth $10.5 million on the Habs’ payroll (and could be traded by then), is about to expire… and that’s going to leave Kent Hughes some room to maneuver. Especially in a context where the Habs GM will have three relatively important files – two in particular, in fact – on the table: that of Arber Xhekaj, that of Mike Matheson and that of Lane Hutson.

We know that Lane Hutson is likely to be on the chopping block after all, but knowing that the cap will rise considerably will also allow Kent Hughes to be more aggressive in his approaches.

The ultimate goal is well known: the GM of the Canadiens wants to improve his club’s ability to succeed on the ice, and when you look on PuckPedia and see that the Habs have a projected cap space of $37,696,667… it’s easy to see that things could get pretty shaky in Montreal.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Hehe.

– Hum.

– To be continued.

– Oh yeah?

– Interesting.

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Carey Price traded: Frank Seravalli thinks it’s a “long shot”

Today is September 4, and… Carey Price is still with the Montreal Canadiens, and his final signing bonus was paid earlier this week (Monday), making it “easier” to trade him elsewhere. But will it absolutely happen? In the eyes of Frank Seravalli(Bleacher Report), the answer to that question is no. The tipster thinks it’s more of a “long shot”… and the reason is simple: for Kent Hughes to dance, he needs to find a partner. The Habs are interested in the idea, that said.

But if the other NHL clubs don’t think it would be better to welcome Price to their books, it’ll be hard for Hughes to budge.

[content-ads] The situation, we know.

Certain clubs – who must respect the salary floor – have been targeted in recent days: the Sharks, the Blackhawks, the Penguins… On paper, it might make sense to see one of these teams acquire Price.It would help with the payroll and the fact that there’s only $2 million left to pay him (in salary) between now and the end of the year.

But then again, these clubs won’t automatically move to please Kent Hughes and the Habs organization. We know, after all: by trading Price, the Canadiens can give themselves more options to make a deal. And right now, the club is in dire need of a 2nd center: we know that too. Things could go fast, if Price is traded in the next few days or hours. But it’s got to be done… and that’s kind of the rub right now. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – The trade we’ve been waiting for all summer! #Not

– It’s been a long time.

– I like the mentality.

– Good question.

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Mike Matheson’s next contract: “$6.5M is the base”

In a year’s time, next July, three Canadiens defensemen will need new contracts: Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson and Arber Xhekaj. Xhekaj, who will be a restricted free agent, shouldn’t be too hard to deal with in terms of salary. Hutson, of course, is getting a lot more attention. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent and won’t be eligible for hostile offers, but he’ll still be able to ask for the moon. And finally, there’s the case of Matheson. The Québécois will be an unrestricted free agent in a year’s time (if nothing changes between now and then)… but given his importance to the club and the youngsters on the rise, we wonder what’s in store for the veteran. We know that Matheson loves playing in his hometown. But what we don’t know is whether Matheson and his former agent (Kent Hughes) are able to find the right contract (at the right price and for the right number of years) to keep the Québécois in town. And on this subject, Renaud Lavoie, in his column of the day on BPM Sports with Anthony Desaulniers, Anthony Marcotte and Gilbert Delorme, gave some clues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMvFLvoECUc [content-ads]What Renaud mentions is that in real dollars (i.e. not the impact on the mass, which is 4.875M), Mike Matheson will earn $6.5M in 2025-2026.We’re talking $2M in signing bonuses and $4.5M in base salary over the course of the year.

(Credit: PuckPedia)

So, according to the informant, this is the basis of what Matheson, who is 31 and will be 32 this season, can ask for in his next contract, which would begin next summer. We don’t know how many years he’ll ask for, of course. Can such a contract be signed with the Canadiens? Will he do as others have done and leave money on the table to stay? Does Kent Hughes, despite a rising ceiling, think he can afford to sign such a contract? These are good questions, but we don’t have the answers. Above all, it will depend on how much Lane Hutson will take on his next contract… #StructureSalariale

(Credit: CapWages)

[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Speaking of Kent Hughes,

– Interesting.

– Good question.

– Marc-Édouard Vlasic wants to continue his career. [98.5 FM] – Blue Jays win

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David Reinbacher: “it’s up to him” if he starts the year in Montreal, says Kent Hughes

David Reinbacher is a great project in the organization, and the Canadiens believe in him to the point where he was drafted ahead of Matvei Michkov and many other top players. Why? Because the Habs believe in him, and because he’s a right-handed defenseman who would, in the best of all possible worlds, line up on the blue line with Lane Hutson for years to come. Obviously, it’s been tough in recent years. We didn’t hear much about him following his “lost” season in Kloten at 18, and the one he lost in Laval due to a serious injury at 19. But now Reinbacher is ready to play to the best of his ability, and he’s going to be hungry at the Habs camp.

In an interview with Pierre LeBrun (The Athletic), the Habs GM said:

“We’re hoping David will have a full season behind the tie, and it’s up to him whether he starts in Laval or Montreal. But we took him fifth overall because we believe in what he can offer and we can’t wait to see him be an important part of the club.

–

Kent Hughes

[content-ads]Obviously, when we say “Reinbacher decides” where he starts the year, we mean that it’s his on-ice performance at camp that will dictate everything. To me, that’s stronger than simply saying he’s likely to steal a chair.

In fact, in my eyes, if Reinbacher deserves to start the season in the NHL following his camp, the Canadiens MUST make room for him, on the heels of the boss‘s comments .Otherwise, it wouldn’t be consistent with the GM’s statements.

Remember that, at the moment, seven defensemen (Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj) are lining up to start the NHL season – if all goes well.So if everyone is healthy, making room for the Austrian won’t be easy. But if he deserves it and plays in camp the way he played in the playoffs in Laval, we’ll have to make room for him.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Raising $25,000 is excellent.

– Normal.

– Enjoy.

– Taylor Swift in the next Super Bowl?[RDS] – Wow.

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Kent Hughes wants more from Patrik Laine

These days, Kent Hughes is in Detroit on the heels of a meeting with the other GMs and coaches, whichis one of the reasons we’ve seen news of the playoff salary cap. Ofcourse, Kent Hughes is expected to discuss with his counterparts the possibility of (Carey Price’s) contract being traded between now and the start of the season. But are these the only issues to watch? No. Kent Hughes sat down with Eric Engels, who covers the Canadiens for Sportsnet, to discuss a number of Canadiens-related topics, including Patrik Laine Patrik Laine. The GM wasn’t afraid to say it: he’d like to see his talented forward in a position to take more cap hits than last year for the upcoming campaign.

[content-ads]The GM, who didn’t hesitate to trust Laine by taking on his entire contract last year, obviously didn’t mean it as a big threat to the Finn.

After all, Hughes knows he’s got the talent to give more, especially at five-on-five.

In my conversations with him after the season, I said: hey, let’s look at the aspects of your game that need improvement so we can give you playing time more regularly. I think Patrik can make those changes.

–

Kent Hughes to Patrik Laine

That’s why I don’t feel it was a big “threat” from the GM. After all, every GM wants to see his players give more… and Laine spent part of the 2024-2025 year saying that, with equal numbers, he had to give more. Remember that the Finn is in the last year of his contract and wants to stay in town after the 25-26 season, as we know.

So clearly, he’d do well to listen to his bosses and do what it takes to buy himself some playing time on the top-6 and first powerplay.

Spacer title=’Overtime’]- Read more.

– Luke Hughes and his contract: it’s coming, says Devils GM. [JdeM] – Yes,

– Carey Price’s

– Interesting.

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Best U23 players: Corey Pronman justifies Lane Hutson’s 34th place with… Adam Fox

Over the past few months, Corey Pronman(The Athletic) has been the talk of the town with his assessments of Lane Hutson. The prospect expert doesn’t seem to be the biggest fan of the Habs defenseman… despite his big rookie season.And that really, really didn’t sit well with the fans in town.And in the last few days, Pronman has published a new edition of his ranking of the NHL’s best players under 23. Juraj Slafkovský (7th) and Ivan Demidov (10th) make up the top-10, while Hutson is ranked… pronman was asked about Hutson in a podcast with his colleagues about his ranking… and what’s peculiar is that he explains Hutson’s low position by comparing him to… Adam Fox. Adam Fox.Yes, the defenseman who is an annual Norris nominee and has 74, 72, 73 and 61 points in his last four seasons.

[content-ads]Basically, what Pronman is explaining is that it’s hard for him to find a comparison for Hutson, especially if you look at the few options among smaller defensemen. He’s not Quinn Hughes, he’s not Samuel Girard, and he’s clearly not Jared Spurgeon, so the name he links to is Adam Fox, who’s a little taller than the Habs defenseman. And it’s clear that Pronman isn’t Adam Fox’s biggest fan: he doesn’t see him as one of the NHL’s top 15 defensemen,even though Fox has finished in the top-5 in the Norris race in four of the last five seasons… but that, in Pronman’s eyes, is because people vote for the defenseman with the most points, not the best (and he’s not wrong about that).What we understand, then, is that Pronman is clearly not fond of smaller offensive defensemen. And in a way, that’s fair enough, because you can’t have a ton of those players on the same brigade.But if you ask me, there clearly aren’t 33 players under 23 I’d take before Hutson. Except that by understanding Pronman’s reasoning, we understand a little more why he holds[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Obviously.

– Ah well.

– To be continued.

– To watch.

– Shane Bieber is making his third start with the Jays.

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Québec City to host the 2029 World Junior Championship

A few months ago, the idea of Quebec City hosting the 2029 World Junior Championship was mooted. At the time, it was Kevin Dubé(Journal de Québec) who mentioned that Hockey Canada was considering it, andwe know that the capital has been trying for several years without success.

However, it seems that this time it will be the right one: according to information received in the last few minutes, a press conference will be held in Quebec City tomorrow…And what we understand is that it will be officially announced that the 2029 World Youth Hockey Championships will be held in Quebec City, aswell as the World Women’s Hockey Championships in 2027. In

[content-ads]It’s worth noting, however, that while the Women’s World Hockey Championships will only be held in Quebec City, the WJC should also be held in another city. Trois-Rivières is rumoured to be this second city,making it the first time in almost 50 years (1978) that the tournament will be held solely in Quebec, when both Montreal and Quebec City hosted it. Montreal hosted the tournament in 2015, but Toronto was the other host city.Of course, in Quebec City, the action will take place at the Centre Vidéotron. In Trois-Rivières, it’s logical to assume it will be at the Colisée Vidéotron, home of the Lions, but for Quebec City, this is obviously big news. We know that it’s a great hockey market, and this tournament will be a great opportunity to consolidate its place as a fine destination for competitions of this kind… but also to leave its mark as a possible destination for an LPHF team.Let’s also remember that in 2027, the CMJ will once again be held in Canada, this time in Alberta. This winter, the tournament will be held in Minnesota.In short, two great pieces of news for Quebec City, which will have two great competitions in the coming years. Let’s see if there’s enough interest.spacer title=’Overtime’]- I like that.

– Hard blow for the Red Sox.

– Great news for the Québécois.

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Lane Hutson ignored at U.S. camp: Bill Guerin defends his decision

As you know, Lane Hutson wasn’t invited to the U.S. orientation camp this summer. The decision caused quite a stir, considering his great season… and the fact that 16 other defensemen were preferred to him.And in the eyes of some, some of these guys should never have been preferred to Hutson.To explain all this, we mentioned his absence at the last Worlds or the fact that Quinn Hughes is already here… but we hadn’t heard Team USA GM Bill Guerin’s side of the story. And now we have.Eric Engels, who chatted to Guerin, asked him about Hutson… and here’s what the GM had to say:

Lane is an excellent player with a bright future. He’ll have every opportunity to continue proving himself.

–

Bill Guerin

[content-ads]Our colleagues at HabsolumentFan were talking to you about this today.Basically, Guerin says it’s been a long time since there’s been this much talent at all positions for the USA. What we understand, then, is that he had to make some tough decisions… one of which was not to invite Hutson.Just because he doesn’t like Hutson doesn’t mean he didn’t invite him… although obviously, he wasn’t going to say that publicly.Guerin seems to be saying that,eventually, Hutson will get his chance. But obviously, it won’t be at the next Olympics,and the defender himself recently said that he hopes to have the chance to represent his country one day.

So we’ll see what comes of it, but Guerin remained rather cautious in his response to this one.

Let’s see if the GM is right and if the Habs defenseman’s turn comes[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Indeed.

– Anthony Stolarz and the Maple Leafs are negotiating a contract extension.

– He plays great tennis.

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David Reinbacher says he’s “100% now”

David Reinbacher played 23 games in 24-25. 10 in the regular season… and 13 in the playoffs. The reason? The defenseman suffered a serious knee injury during the Canadiens’ practice camp. The good news is that Reinbacher now says he’s back to 100%. He’s been practicing all summer and hasn’t felt any pain in his knee, which is good news for the Canadiens organization and its fans. At least, he’s reassuring, as can be read in a text (also published on TVA Sports) signed by Jonathan Bernier of Le Journal de Montréal, who met him in Washington:

I’m now 100%. My knee is fine. During the summer, I never felt the slightest problem. I was happy to see it holding up.

–

David Reinbacher

[content-ads] No need to draw a picture here, Reinbacher has to play to progress… and by not being at 100%, it would have been harder for him to be super comfortable on the ice.

But it’s good news, because we know that the Habs are committed to him. In Montreal, we see him becoming a defenseman who can help the Habs in the long term on the ice, and for that to happen, the Austrian has to be able to develop in the right way. It makes you wonder if he can cause a surprise at camp, in the context of feeling (finally) recovered from his injury…. Ultimately, you have to understand that it wouldn’t be a bad thing to see him start the season in the AHL. He’d have the opportunity to get more playing time, a bigger role… and it would also allow him to gain confidence after two more difficult years.

In 23-24, after all, Reinbacher had a miserable season in Kloten because his club was rotten and because he was injured during the year. He wasn’t able to play as much as he would have liked last campaign either, and it’s certain that he has a long way to go before he regains the level of confidence he had the year he was drafted. But so much the better, if he’s feeling really fit at the moment. And of course, Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton and company are ultra pleased to hear all this… [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Nice line-up.

– It’s boring, but it’s true.

– Will they work out?

–

– Well done.

– Oh.