Best D prospect in your opinion

[DangerCat]

As a Habs fan, I’m grinning ear to ear watching this guy.

I bet you are! This size thing is ridiculous. If he was a few more inches boom a first round pick…when will teams learn. Yet still guys like Ty Boucher get taken 10th overall. (I know different draft). I usually like to give teams the benefit of the doubt but some teams just draft poor. Then you have Detroit who take Seider at 6 and I remember thinking what are they doing!! Boy was I wrong. But Boucher looks like a 3rd liner at best. Safe floor unlike Hutson who will be Cale Makar lite or will not make the nhl. But man he’s exciting! Nice nab Habs!

[senryu]

He's got a chance, but it isn't just the height thing. He is tiny, on track to be one of the lightest defenseman in decades. At least other short d-men were bulky enough (180 lbs or so) to have some solidity. But Hutson is not just shorter than average, he's thinner than average. He should get bigger as he gets into his 20s but as discussed elsewhere, being 150 or 160 lbs as a d-man in the NHL is a sharp uphill to climb, regardless of how skilled you are at the other end. His best case scenario might be Jared Spurgeon, but he's not up to Spurgeon's size yet.

I like the Gostisbehere comp. He makes me think of a thinner Marc Andre Bergeron, 5'9" and forever pinned as a PP specialist who was always a lower pairing guy. Either way, if you're playing multicat, Hutson won't likely get the ice time that leads to more shots, hits/blocks, etc. He needs to display the Lidstrom ability of always making the perfect defensive positioning and perfect move without being physical in order to get 2nd pairing minutes.

In any case, Hutson validly creates some excitement, but it may take him longer than expected for his body to mature into a place where he reaches the lowest-seen levels of physical stature needed to defend at the NHL level. Or at least prove that he can do it. Size isn't everything, but at some level, it is something. We may need to wait for his age 23 or 24 season to start seeing some returns on investment.

[YzermansLegacy]

I bet you are! This size thing is ridiculous. If he was a few more inches boom a first round pick…when will teams learn. Yet still guys like Ty Boucher get taken 10th overall. (I know different draft). I usually like to give teams the benefit of the doubt but some teams just draft poor. Then you have Detroit who take Seider at 6 and I remember thinking what are they doing!! Boy was I wrong. But Boucher looks like a 3rd liner at best. Safe floor unlike Hutson who will be Cale Makar lite or will not make the nhl. But man he’s exciting! Nice nab Habs!

Geez I've been telling my partner this EXACT thing for years...

[DangerCat]

He's got a chance, but it isn't just the height thing. He is tiny, on track to be one of the lightest defenseman in decades. At least other short d-men were bulky enough (180 lbs or so) to have some solidity. But Hutson is not just shorter than average, he's thinner than average. He should get bigger as he gets into his 20s but as discussed elsewhere, being 150 or 160 lbs as a d-man in the NHL is a sharp uphill to climb, regardless of how skilled you are at the other end. His best case scenario might be Jared Spurgeon, but he's not up to Spurgeon's size yet.

I like the Gostisbehere comp. He makes me think of a thinner Marc Andre Bergeron, 5'9" and forever pinned as a PP specialist who was always a lower pairing guy. Either way, if you're playing multicat, Hutson won't likely get the ice time that leads to more shots, hits/blocks, etc. He needs to display the Lidstrom ability of always making the perfect defensive positioning and perfect move without being physical in order to get 2nd pairing minutes.

In any case, Hutson validly creates some excitement, but it may take him longer than expected for his body to mature into a place where he reaches the lowest-seen levels of physical stature needed to defend at the NHL level. Or at least prove that he can do it. Size isn't everything, but at some level, it is something. We may need to wait for his age 23 or 24 season to start seeing some returns on investment.

I love the realistic comp. thank you senryu. Honestly I’m not as high on him as many here but I do think he could be Cale Makar lite…I’m glad other GMs are not as high similar to myself. Thanks for your input!

[senryu]

I love the realistic comp. thank you senryu. Honestly I’m not as high on him as many here but I do think he could be Cale Makar lite…I’m glad other GMs are not as high similar to myself. Thanks for your input!

I mean, in a small sample size, he is in Makar's neighborhood in the creativity and flair involved in racking up big d-man points. He just needs his body and most importantly, crusty NHL coaches, to give him the same opportunities.

[Nylander2.0]

Am I crazy for rather having Nikishin over Hutson? I know he’s not In the thread but I feel like he’s probably around this list of player and should be available if these guys are. I think he steps in and takes that PP1 in Carolina.