Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson is having a great week.
Not only did he sign an eight-year contract extension that carries an $8.85 million annual average value, Team USA has announced that they have added the talented blueliner to their preliminary roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which are set to take place in Milan, Italy.
#GoHabsGo Lane Hutson, #Canucks Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser were listed among the skaters on @usahockey‘s expanded preliminary 2026 Olympic roster submission.
Those three did not attend the 🇺🇸 Olympic orientation camp in August.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 16, 2025
The United States opted not to invite Hutson to their summer orientation camp, raising eyebrows from fans and analysts alike. Even though Hutson is just 21 years old, he has represented his country at most levels, and he’s done so with aplomb.
He also registered the second-most productive rookie season in NHL history by a defenceman, to the tune of six goals and 60 assists in 82 games, leading to a well-deserved Calder Trophy win last season.
Of course, inviting Hutson this late in the game doesn’t necessarily mean he’s out of the running for a job once the final Olympic roster is submitted, but the odds are still stacked against him, as the USA can already call on a bevy of talented NHL defencemen, including Adam Fox, Luke Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Noah Hanifin, Charlie MacAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, and Zach Werenski, among others.
It does, however, serve as recognition of Hutson’s improved standing among the potential candidates, and should go a long way in instilling a heightened level of confidence with the Montreal Canadiens, if that’s possible.