There's of course Nick Suzuki and Cole Caulfield's steps forward in assuming their roles as franchise players, both leading the club with 43 and 42 points, respectively. But Hutson is running the defensive corps, averaging 22:42 per night, which gives him a serious edge on Celebrini and Michkov for the campaign's best rookie.

In addition to elite offensive flair, diminutive Canadiens rookie defenceman has shown he can more than hold his own in his own zone.

Hutson's offensive exploits are well known, but his ability to perform in a mistake-free environment has been under-appreciated.

Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson is having a very impressive rookie season in the NHL. After picking up three assists in Tuesday’s 5-3 road win over the Utah Hockey Club, the 22-year-old Hutson was leading all NHL rookies in scoring with 3-32-35 totals in in 43 games.

Corey Pronman of The Athletic recently released a list of the top under-23-year-old players, and it has set off a backlash online. His list seems to be,

I dedicated almost my entire column to the show Laraque & Gonzalez featuring Lane Hutson. Let’s just say that his three-point match and first star in Salt Lake City has only added weight to his exceptional resume since arriving in the NHL.

The Montreal Canadiens have found a gem in Lane Hutson, and locking him down as soon as possible may quickly become priority Number 1 going into the offseason.