Hutson becomes 10th rookie defenseman with 60-point season

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson padded his case for the Calder Trophy on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, becoming only the 10th defenseman in NHL history to record 60 points in their rookie season.

Hutson achieved the feat with a point on Josh Anderson's first-period tally. The helper was Hutson's 55th of the season, which matched Chris Chelios' franchise record for assists by a rookie rearguard.

Hutson later surpassed Chelios by adding two more assists to help Montreal win a dramatic comeback.

Other prominent defensemen to notch 60 points in their first seasons include Hall of Famers Larry Murphy (76), Brian Leetch (71), Phil Housley (66), Ray Bourque (65), and Nicklas Lidstrom (60), who was the most recent player to reach the milestone in 1991-92.

Hutson has eight games remaining to add to his total.

Montreal drafted Hutson in the second round in 2022. He joined the Habs for two games last season after a dominant two-year stretch at Boston University.