There's of course Nick Suzuki and Cole Caulfield's steps forward in assuming their roles as franchise players, both leading the club with 43 and 42 points, respectively. But Hutson is running the defensive corps, averaging 22:42 per night, which gives him a serious edge on Celebrini and Michkov for the campaign's best rookie.

In addition to elite offensive flair, diminutive Canadiens rookie defenceman has shown he can more than hold his own in his own zone.

Hutson's offensive exploits are well known, but his ability to perform in a mistake-free environment has been under-appreciated.

Corey Pronman of The Athletic recently released a list of the top under-23-year-old players, and it has set off a backlash online. His list seems to be,