Mike Sullivan's Hiring Could Hurt Lane Hutson's Chances of Making Team USA for the Olympics

He will very likely win the Calder Trophy, after notably tying the record for the most assists by a rookie defenseman in NHL history.

And quietly, the achievements of some Habs players, like Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Samuel Montembeault, and company.. could spice up the next Olympic Games for Montreal fans.

There are real chances to see several Canadiens players selected for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Will Lane Hutson be part of that group?

Let's just say he has just received some bad news in that regard, and honestly, it feels.. unfair.

Sullivan, who will unsurprisingly be the head coach of Team USA at the next Olympic Games, has just been named head coach of Lane Hutson's number one competitor for a spot on the American Olympic team: Adam Fox.

There are more details in the following article, but in short, especially after what we saw at the Four Nations Face-Off, we can draw the following conclusions:

Quinn Hughes will be selected.
Zach Werenski will be selected.
Jaccob Slavin will be selected.
Brock Faber will be selected.
Jake Sanderson will be selected.
Charlie McAvoy will be selected.

That leaves only one spot open, for Adam Fox, Lane Hutson, and all other possible candidates.

History shows that team management will almost always prioritize players they know best.

The hiring of Sullivan by the New York Rangers (Adam Fox's team) is therefore likely to heavily influence the final roster selection.

It will be something to watch next season, but it's obvious that Mike Sullivan's hiring has just thrown a big bucket of cold water on Lane Hutson's chances of making it to the next Olympic Games, even though he would have truly deserved it.