Lane Hutson makes a strong case to be on the Montreal Canadiens blue line on opening night. The 20-year-old is one of the highlights of pre-season and has worked hard to make the roster.
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From stopping plays in defensive zones to getting creative at the end of the ice, the media and broadcasters can’t get enough of him as he slowly transforms into a defenseman. franchise.
As he continues to grow as a player and young adult, his fan base is on an upward trajectory. There may not be many number 48 jerseys in the stands at the Bell Center today, but with more time and visibility in the NHL, Hutson jerseys will fill the stands as he eventually fights for the Norris Trophy.
Hutson is the sixth skater in Canadiens history to wear number 48; here are the other five.
JJ Daigneault (1990-1996)
JJ Daigneault joined the Canadiens in 1989 after four seasons split between the Vancouver Canucks and the Philadelphia Flyers. He would skate seven seasons in Montreal, putting his name on the Stanley Cup in 1993, scoring four points in 20 games during that playoff series.
His best seasons may have come early with the Canucks, but he was a consistent player averaging 13 points per year with the Canadiens. Considering he scored 250 points in his 16 seasons, the only team he scored over 50 points with was Montreal.
François Groleau (1996-1998)
François Groleau only played eight games with the Canadiens, making his debut in 1995-96 and his final NHL appearance in 1997-98. Within the organization, he mainly skated with the Fredericton Canadiens. He scored 47 goals and 176 points in 331 AHL games.
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Eventually, Groleau headed to Europe to play in the German League, scoring 20 goals and 115 points in 370 games. He bounced around the Magnus League and LNAH before retiring in 2016.
Miloslav Gureň (1999-2000)
Miloslav Gureň is the third defender to wear number 48. He appeared in 36 matches between the 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons. During his brief stint in the NHL, he scored one goal and had three assists for four points.
Like Groleau, he spent a lot of time with the Fredericton Canadiens, where he played in the 2001 AHL All-Star Game. After 2001, he left North America and played in Russia, Czechia and Italy, before recently retiring after the 2022-23 season.
JT Wyman (2010)
JT Wyman wore number 48 for three games during the 2009-10 season. He made his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 24, 2009 and played in the next two games against Pittsburgh and Washington.
In the minors, Wyman was an assistant captain for the Hamilton Bulldogs for several seasons before joining the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played one season in Germany before leaving professional hockey after the 2014-15 season.
Daniel Briere (2014)
Daniel Brière may be remembered for his play with the Buffalo Sabers and Philadelphia Flyers. But he returned to the country for one season in 2013-2014, playing 69 games with the Canadiens. That year was the last time the former 30-goal scorer reached double figures among the Lamplighters, scoring 13 goals and finishing the campaign with 25 points.
During his 17 seasons, the Gatineau, QC native played in 973 games, collecting 696 points and finishing 11th in Hart Trophy voting in 2006-07. In 2024, Brière remains the only forward to skate with number 48 in Montreal and the last before Hutson dons it in April 2024.
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