Rookie showed during weekend games he is the most exciting, charismatic young defenceman to wash up on these shores since P.K. Subban.
It’s 28 degrees outside. If the leaves are beginning to turn somewhere, it’s not in my hood. It feels like early August, a time to put your feet up, take the occasional dip in the pool and eat barbecue till you bust.
For openers, the weekend double dip into hockey was affordable, especially for families who can’t even dream of taking in a Leafs-Habs game in December. Then there was the chance to see the handful of players who have a chance to crack the lineup when the big clubs get serious later this week.
There was a play in the second period of Sunday’s game when Hutson looked like Steve Shutt as he burst in on left wing and took on two defenders. He had nowhere to go with the puck and the play went nowhere — but a couple of ticks later, there was Hutson back at his post in his own zone, looking as though he had never left.
Look, these were prospects games and to see young players trading heavy punches in these exhibitions is sickening. But Hutson is the most exciting, charismatic young defenceman to wash up on these shores since P.K. Subban arrived, brazenly tooting his own horn, in the spring of 2010.
Obviously, we will have to see how Hutson fares through the long, wearying struggle that is an NHL season. He will be tested on a nightly basis, banged and slashed and cross-checked by bigger, stronger, older players.
Those characteristics, coupled with his intelligence and vision, will affect Hutson’s career more than the slick skating and adroit stickhandling.
The Game 13 blues: Should we be concerned about the defending Grey Cup champs? In a sport you get your head beat in on a weekly basis, it’s tough to get up for games that border on meaningless and the Alouettes are 10-2-1 even after a loss and a 19-19 tie in Calgary.
What really hurts is the absence of their two game-breaking receivers, Tyson Philpot (out for the season) and Austin Mack, who played one game before being shelved for at least six. But with their defence and innate resilience, the Als are still our pick to win the Grey Cup.
&&&& still more lies, rumours &&&& vicious innuendo: Slovenian Tadej Pogacar won another Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal Sunday, after winning the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France earlier this year and after countryman Primoz Roglic won his fourth Vuelta a Espana. …
Almost brought a tear to my eye to see that Jaromir Jagr is back on the ice. It appears that rumours of his retirement were greatly exaggerated. Jagr lost 17 pounds in the off-season and came back to the Czech league for another campaign at age 52. …
You know who else could still play? One Martin St. Louis, at 49 nearly Jagr’s age, is in such superb condition that he would not embarrass himself, even in the NHL. …
I don’t care if Rick Campbell is a lousy coach. But if he messes up Nathan Rourke, we’re going to have a bone to pick. …
Not surprised to see Max Pacioretty has signed a professional tryout contract with Toronto. With his scoring touch and his disdain for the rough stuff around the net, Pacioretty should fit right in.
Heroes: Sarah Mitton, Marco Arop, Alysha Newman, Marina Stakusic, Jose Maltos, Darnell Sankey, Wesley Sutton, Mustafa Johnson, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, McLaren, Canelo Alvarez, Tadej Pogacar &&&& last but not least, Lane Hutson.
Zeros: Chad Kelly, Jon Rahm, LIV Golf, Jack Eichel, Deion Sanders, Aaron Rodgers, Jim Harbaugh, the Cowboys, Bev Priestman, John Herdman, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria.
Now and forever.