Lane Hutson’s Calder-Winning Rookie Year Not Enough for Olympic Invite

USA Hockey announced its 44-player orientation camp roster on Tuesday, immediately sparking debate over the selections, and more specifically, “the snubs”. Noticeably absent from the list was Montreal Canadiens superstar Lane Hutson.

Hutson, who won the 2024-25 Calder Trophy after posting 62 points in 75 games, became one of the most productive rookie defensemen in NHL history. Still, it wasn’t enough to get him invited to Olympic camp.

The omission raised eyebrows. While Hutson is unlikely to make Team USA’s 2026 Olympic roster, critics argue the experience would have benefited him. Instead, the selection leaned toward players like Jackson LaCombe and Alex Vlasic, whose NHL resumes are thinner but who may offer more defensive stability. Most analysts don’t believe either will ultimately make the team.

The most logical explanation is that Hutson’s decision not to attend the Worlds might have played a role in his invitation being lost in the mail. Either that, or an attempt to balance out the camp with different kinds of players might have been a possible explanation for Hutson’s absence.

Still, many fans and insiders viewed it as a missed opportunity. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski wrote: “Unless there’s a material reason he couldn’t attend, I don’t understand not inviting Lane Hutson… Neither LaCombe nor Vlasic are going to make the roster either.”

Fan reaction was split. Some pointed to Hutson’s defensive shortcomings as a red flag: “The Olympic tournament is short, cannot risk mistakes.” Others felt it was an unnecessary slight: “Would he have made it? No. Should he at least have gotten the invite? Yes.”

For now, Hutson will continue to focus on building his NHL career in Montreal—but his exclusion has already ignited a wider debate about how USA Hockey evaluates young stars.

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