Lane Hutson has been carrying a load that already looks too heavy for the Canadiens’ liking.
Through three games, the young defenseman is averaging 27:31 a night, a pace that would blow past his previous career high of 23:46 from last season. He’s producing, too, with four assists already, but Montreal’s early-season reliance on him is flashing a bigger problem: the blue line behind him is not holding up.
Hutson’s opening-night workload was closer to normal at a little over 24 minutes, but the last two games have pushed him well into uncomfortable territory, with more than 29 minutes per game. That kind of usage can be justified in the playoffs, when everything is on the line. In October, with only three games in the books, it points to a depth issue the Canadiens can’t ignore.
The concern isn’t about Hutson’s level of play right now. He has been excellent.
The worry is what all those minutes could mean later, when fatigue starts to creep in and the season reaches the stretch that matters most. Montreal has already lived through similar questions, with Mike Matheson’s workload during the 2024-25 season drawing the same kind of attention once turnovers became a problem.
The Canadiens are also asking more of Hutson than of their other top defensemen. He’s averaging nearly three minutes more per game than Matheson and more than four more than Noah Dobson. Matheson and Dobson are both close to their usual numbers from last season, which only underscores how much Hutson’s usage has been inflated by what’s happening lower on the depth chart.
That leads straight to the third pairing, where Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble have not done enough to keep Martin St. Louis from leaning harder on his top guys.
Against the Carolina Hurricanes, both defensemen played around nine minutes, and both were on the ice for Carolina’s first two goals. St.
Louis has been hesitant to use that duo together in the past, and that hesitation can’t last if this continues.
Montreal does have another option in Adam Engstrom, and if his latest usage is any indication, a season debut may not be far off. He would at least give the Canadiens another defenseman who can move the puck, something Xhekaj and Struble do not do especially well.
But the bigger issue isn’t adding offense from the back end. It’s cleaning up the mess in front of the net.
The Canadiens are third-worst in the league in goals against per game at 4.67 through three games, and that simply isn’t acceptable for a team with playoff ambitions. Jakub Dobes hasn’t been perfect, but he also shouldn’t be carrying the blame alone. Montreal has had trouble clearing its own zone and has too often left opponents with second and third chances.
If the current setup keeps straining Hutson this early, the Canadiens may need a more serious fix. That could mean recalling David Reinbacher, who is known for his defensive game, or going outside the organization for a veteran presence. Either way, the message is clear: Montreal needs help on defense before its thin depth starts taking a toll on its brightest young blueliner.
In Other News...
Adam Engstrom Just Gave Canadiens A Tough Blue Line Decision
Adam Engstroms season debut for Montreal came in a 5-2 loss to Nashville, but the rookie defenseman still gave the Canadiens something to think about on a night when their blue line was under the microscope. He skated just under 12 minutes and was not on the ice for any goals against, and his work helped steady a third pairing that had looked shakier in previous games.
Engstrom also stood out in a quieter way by leading Montreal defensemen in turnovers, though none of them turned into dangerous chances for the Predators. For a team trying to sort out its back end, that kind of performance makes the next lineup decision a little more interesting, especially if the Canadiens are looking for signs that a young defender can handle more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Telling Blue Line Decision After Struble Trade
Montreals trade of Jayden Struble looks less like a simple subtraction and more like a sign of where the blue line is headed. The Canadiens still have six defensemen on the roster, but management clearly treated the move as strategic, with defensive reinforcements expected to follow rather than leaving the group thin for long.
The next step is what makes the situation worth watching. Kaiden Guhle is nearing a return, which could handle the open spot right away, while David Reinbacher remains the other major internal option if the club decides it needs a seventh defenseman. For a team trying to balance present needs with longer-term planning, the answer will say plenty about how the Canadiens see their depth chart right now. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Delicate Dylan Larkin Test At Bell Centre
The Bell Centre crowd has a way of turning routine visits into something a little more complicated, and Dylan Larkins next trip to Montreal is already carrying an extra layer of intrigue. The Red Wings captain is off to a steady start with two points in two games this season, and with an $8.7 million cap hit, he remains the kind of player who draws attention wherever he goes.
What makes this one stand out is the backdrop around his arrival, which has turned the Canadiens home date into more than just another test on the schedule. TVA Sports reporter Anthony Martineau noted the growing conversation around how Larkin might be received in Canada, and whether the atmosphere inside the building could end up mattering beyond one night at the rink. [Read more 🡒]