Very strong words from the NHL’s top reporter.
Each season, there seems to be some sort of argument or debate about the voting for the National Hockey League Awards. There is always a team or a group of fans that feels like they haven’t received the recognition they deserve, and according to some recent comments from the league’s best insider, this will likely happen again this year.
On the latest episode of his podcast, NHL reporter Elliotte Friedman expressed his admiration for the performance of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson during the playoffs, but he also shared a very honest admission.
Elliotte Friedman reveals the truth.
Interestingly, before praising Hutson, Friedman shared some insights about the Norris Trophy votes he cast this season.
“This year was really tough for the Norris; I have to say he didn’t make my final 5,” Friedman mentioned on the 32 Thoughts podcast.
While Friedman didn’t show any regret about his choices, his following remarks about Hutson hint that he may be reconsidering some of his picks from this year.
A bold guess for what’s to come.
In a league with 32 teams, guessing who will win individual awards can be quite tough, but despite that, Friedman has been so impressed with Lane Hutson’s performance in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs that he is ready to make a daring prediction.
“I have to say, this could be the last year in a decade that he doesn’t win,” said Friedman. “I’m making this guess right now, he is going to take home several trophies. Not just one and maybe not just two, he is going to win many Norris Trophies. ”
Lane Hutson shows off his skills in Game 3.
I truly believe that Friedman means every word he says about Hutson, but it’s clear to me that a lot of his thoughts come from Hutson’s amazing performance in Game 3.
Hutson helped his team by getting 2 assists as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres with a score of 6-2, but it was the small things he did that caught the eye of those paying close attention. Even former NHL player Ryan Whitney praised the “clinic” Hutson held against the Sabres in Game 4.
Here are a few of those standout moments:
If Hutson is really causing some top hockey experts to reconsider their Norris Trophy votes, that means great things are ahead for the Montreal Canadiens, both now and in the future.
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