The Montreal Canadiens took to social media on Monday to celebrate a rare achievement in the team’s history.
“Lane Hutson has been named a finalist for the Calder Trophy!” the team announced on X, applauding the 21-year-old defenseman for being recognized as a contender for the NHL’s rookie of the year honor.
This marks the first time in over ten years that a Canadiens player has reached this stage, and if Hutson wins, he’ll be the first to take home the Calder Trophy since Ken Dryden did in 1972.
In what was his first full NHL season—after playing just two games the previous year—Hutson delivered one of the most impressive rookie campaigns ever by a defenseman.
He led all NHL rookies in several key categories: points (66), assists (60), power-play points (26), and average ice time (22:44).
Hutson also broke a long-standing franchise record for most points by a rookie defenseman, surpassing Chris Chelios’ 64-point season in 1984–85.
A standout from Boston University, Hutson tied Larry Murphy’s rookie assist record among defensemen and matched Phil Housley for fourth place in all-time rookie defenseman scoring.
Drafted 62nd overall in 2022, he became the first rookie defenseman to top all NHL rookies in points since Quinn Hughes in 2019–20.
Hutson also earned Rookie of the Month honors in both December and March, making him the first defenseman to claim the award multiple times in a season since Nicklas Lidstrom in 1991–92.
Joining Hutson as Calder Trophy finalists are Macklin Celebrini—an 18-year-old who recorded 63 points with the Sharks—and Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who posted a 29–16–8 record with a .910 save percentage. The winner will be revealed at the NHL Awards in June.
The NHL began announcing award finalists for the 2025 season on April 28, though the exact date for the awards ceremony has not yet been confirmed.
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