Lane Hutson is rewriting the record books once again.
The Montreal Canadiens defenseman continues to blaze a trail, setting milestones that have the hockey world buzzing. On Tuesday, he added another feather to his cap by becoming the NHL defenseman with the most assists within their first 150 games.
This milestone came during the Canadiens' 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a pivotal moment, occurring just over five minutes before the end of the first period.
The play began with Jakub Dobes passing the puck to Hutson behind Montreal's net. With his signature smooth skating, Hutson advanced the puck up the ice, connecting with his defense partner, Kaiden Guhle, in the neutral zone.
Guhle then pushed the puck past center ice, where an unexpected bounce off the boards set up Phillip Danault to slot it past Joseph Woll, securing Montreal's second goal and what would be the game-winner.
This assist marked Hutson's 116th in his NHL career, breaking the previous record held by Hall-of-Famer Sergei Zubov, who had 115 assists in his first 150 games with the New York Rangers.
What’s even more impressive is that Hutson has achieved this in just 147 games, giving him more opportunities to extend his record. The Canadiens face the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, followed by matchups against the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks over the weekend.
Hutson's season stats are equally remarkable, with 11 goals and 54 assists, totaling 65 points in 63 games. His defensive play has also seen significant improvement, boasting a -0.089 5v5 regularized adjusted plus-minus expected goals against per 60 minutes, according to Evolving Hockey.
As Hutson continues to elevate his game, fans and analysts alike are eager to see just how far he can push the boundaries of what's possible for a defenseman in the NHL.