"Lane Hutson somehow got worse defensively": NHL fans mock Calder Trophy winner after Canadiens' 5-2 loss to Maple Leafs on opening night

NHL fans on social media slammed Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson for his performance in the Montreal Canadiens' 5-2 season-opening loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Hutson logged 21 shifts and 21:03 minutes of ice time, finishing with a -3 plus/minus rating. In the third period, the Leafs regained a 3-2 lead after a high-danger scoring chance by Hutson.

The missed opportunity for the Habs quickly turned into a counterattack for Toronto, capitalizing on a breakaway. The situation worsened for the Habs when two broken sticks left Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson defenseless, allowing Morgan Rielly to score the game-winning goal.

Here's how NHL fans on X (formerly called Twitter) reacted to Hutson's performance.

One tweeted:

"Lane hutson somehow got worse defensively over the summer."

Another chimed in:

"Lane Hutson can’t play defense btw…. Great defense by the kid!, maybe this is the reason why he’s not playing for team USA!"

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

"Lmaoooo one season and Hutson thinks he deserves as much as McDavid btw," a third fan wrote. "Lol all the off season videos your team is still no good Hutson so soft ! The Russian is a turn over machine when he’s not on a penalty shot lol pathetic," one X user wrote. "LANE HUTSON SEASON DEBUT: -2, ZERO POINTS. IVAN DEMIDOV SEASON DEBUT: -1, ZERO POINTS. TOP LINE SEASON DEBUT: -3, ZERO POINTS," tweeted another. "Hutson’s value just went down which is good I guess," another chimed in.

The Canadiens will be up against the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow.

Lane Hutson and Canadiens fell to Maple Leafs in season opener

On Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 in their season opener at Scotiabank Arena.

Bobby McMann opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs, giving them a 1-0 lead one minute into the first period. Oliver Kapanen tied it for the Habs 1-1 at 5:39.

Zachary Bolduc gave the Habs a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal 1:30 into the second period. Calle Järnkrok then tied it for the Leafs at 5:40 before heading into the final period.

Morgan Rielly gave the hosts a 3-2 advantage at 9:02. Empty-net goals from Auston Matthews and William Nylander sealed the win for the Leafs. The Maple Leafs travel to Little Caesars Arena next to face the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta