There’s no denying that Brendan Gallagher wasn’t what he used to be anymore with the Montreal Canadiens this season. Father Time had caught up with the veteran in a big way, and while that had a huge effect on his on-ice performance, it didn’t change his leadership role. He still wore the A on his jersey and played a big role in building the culture the Habs are now renowned for. Now that he’s been traded to the Vancouver Canucks, though, who should get to fill his shoes?
The easy candidate is Josh Anderson. He was the one who had it when Gallagher was scratched last season, and in the playoffs, he has proven that he can be the guy who leads his teammate into the physical battle. However, he only has one year left on his contract. He’ll be entering the seventh and final year of the 7-year pact he signed with Marc Bergevin, which carries a $5.5 million cap hit. Will the Canadiens decide to keep him around beyond the upcoming season? That’s far from guaranteed. If some of the Habs prospects, such as Florian Xhekaj, progress as expected and make their mark on the team, he, too, could become surplus to requirements.
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When the time came to appoint a new captain after Shea Weber stopped playing, the organization could have gone with a good veteran, a proven leader who had been around for years in Brendan Gallagher, but it didn’t. It opted for Nick Suzuki, who was only 23 years old at the time. They did that because they wanted the young core to take over the team; isn’t it time to make another move in that direction?
Who better to do that than Lane Hutson? The blueliner is just about to enter his 8-year contract with the Canadiens and is the picture-perfect example of a leader. He performs on the ice, and his dedication is second to none. It’s July right now, and on Canada Day he was on the ice at 7:50 AM prior to development camp. After getting his skating in, he didn’t just go; he stuck around, and he watched the prospects on the ice alongside the likes of Nick Bobrov. The next day? He once again skated before the prospects, stuck around, and watched the scrimmage with Ivan Demidov and the Habs’ brass. He was even asked to do a presentation to the prospects during the camp. That’s a leader.
He was also instrumental in Demidov signing a long-term contract. At the end of the season media availability, he spoke about how Hutson had told him that it was important to sign long-term and be a part of what could be a championship-winning team. That right there is an example of how strong the culture is in Montreal, and of Hutson’s awareness of the role he can play and his embrace of it.
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He might only be 22 years old, but he is wise beyond his years and has stepped into the Canadiens’ core as if it were his destiny. As soon as he joined, he seamlessly integrated into the lineup and worked his way to quarterbacking the Canadiens’ power play, leapfrogging Mike Matheson. When the Habs are trailing and need a big goal, Hutson is left, right, and center trying to make things happen; he plays a huge role on this team, and officializing it with a letter would make sense.
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