BU's Hutson wins Calder Trophy with Montreal

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (Boston University) has been named the recipient of the 2024-25 Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the National Hockey league.

The North Barrington, Ill. native, a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, tallied six goals and 60 assists for 66 points while playing in all 82 games this past season, twice earning NHL Rookie of the Month accolades. His 66 points is the most-ever by a Montreal rookie, and the fourth-most by an NHL freshman defenseman all-time. He also helped the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth since 2020 this spring, where the Habs fell to Washington in the first round.

Hutson, 21, who is the first Canadiens player to claim the Calder Trophy since Ken Dryden (Cornell) in 1972, was drafted in the second round (62nd overall) by Montreal in 2022 after skating with the NTDP. He spent the prior two seasons at BU, where he helped the Terriers to consecutive NCAA Frozen Fours (2023, 2024) while tallying 30-67—97 points in 77 games overall. He was also a two-time NCAA First Team All-America selection, and a two-time Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist.

Beniers Claims 2022-23 Calder Trophy

Matty Beniers (Michigan) is the 2022-23 recipient of the Calder Trophy as top rookie in the National Hockey League. The award was presented Monday night in Nashville, site of this year's NHL Entry Draft that will commence on Wednesday.

Beniers, 20, recorded 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points and just two penalty minutes in 80 regular-season games this year for the second-year Kraken franchise. He then added three goals and seven points in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff contests as Seattle ousted the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round, before falling to the Dallas Stars in the second round, both in seven games.

Originally committed to play for Harvard, Beniers. a center, instead pivoted to Michigan when the Ivy League schools decided to sit out the 2020-21 campaign due to COVID-19. In two years and 61 outings at Michigan, he notched 30-37–67 points and 16 PIM in helping the Wolverines to two NCAA tournament berths, including the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four in Boston, plus a Big Ten tournament title. He actually made his NHL audition by playing 10 games with the Kraken soon afterwards last spring, registering three goals and nine points points in that span, and has recorded a total of 27-39–66 points in 90 NHL regular-season appearances to date.

A native of Hingham, Mass. and a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, Beniers was originally selected second overall by expansion Seattle in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.