Things are about to get really exciting in the Hutson household! What do the playoffs look like for these hockey-playing brothers, with both Lane and Quinn Hutson currently playing in the NHL (Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, respectively), while Cole Hutson keeps the Washington Capitals waiting one more year and Jude gets his training underway in the USNTDP? Probably wild, with ‘constructive criticism’ flying this way and that, and some healthy competition, right? Well, with Lane Hutson making his playoff debut against the Washington Capitals tomorrow, all of that may get exponentially more intense, and who better to weigh in than his own father?

When asked what he thinks could make his son successful in the series against Washington on an episode of The Sick Podcast with Grant McCagg and Shayne Gaumond, Rob Hutson said, “Not to overthink and just keep playing the way you play. Like, know they’re going to be coming harder, know you’re going to have to bring your stick up once in a while, you know, the assaulter, anything else, and be prepared for the unknown, like, they do have a lot of guys on that team that are men that wanna play for keeps, right? You’re playing for keeps, and if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying, so he’s going to have to do a little of his own type of cheating, and he does that. I’m not concerned; I’m just excited and looking forward to what they do.”

It seems Rob is pushing for a more aggressive style from Lane; however, as we know from the game between the Senators and the Maple Leafs, the whole ‘enforcer’ act didn’t go down too well in terms of penalties, with the Leafs scoring 3 goals on the power play, so perhaps Rob is talking about tactical cheating, which he seems to think Lane is more than capable of, and something he can use against the Caps, who, in Rob’s words, “want to play for keeps.” 

Aside from contemplating what the conversations around personal and professional boundaries are in the Hutson household when it comes to pro-cheating advice, one has to also wonder how all this might go down with Cole Hutson, who is currently signed with the Washington Capitals but will only commence playing with them next year, which, in retrospect, seems like a good move to keep the rivalry in the Hutson household in check for the moment.

Lane Hutson makes his playoff debut in the second-ever postseason series between the Habs and Caps

2010 was the first time the Habs and the Caps faced off in the postseason, and it wasn’t what anyone expected. While the Habs were the 8th seed and the Caps were #1 and had just come off of winning the President’s Cup, the former ended up defeating the latter in Game 7 to win the series and absolutely crushed the Caps confidence.

And tomorrow they’re going to have a chance to do it again, with Rob Hutson even prodding his son Lane with a reminder to “bring (his) stick up once in a while.” Clearly, this must have some sort of effect on Cole Hutson, who, though he remains at BU for one more year, is a Capitals prospect.

However, when asked who Cole might be cheering for tomorrow on the podcast, Rob Hutson replied, “Oooph. Cole and Quinn will be in Montreal on Sunday, so if they want their seats that their brother’s paying for, they better be cheering for him, which I’m sure they are.” Insinuating that at the heart of it all, family is family, even with some healthy competition, and demonstrating his own ability to father like no other, with that distinctive sort of compartmentalization that only sportsmen know.

But, as of now, things are good. And while it can’t be easy playing against your brother on the ice—we may or may not see this firsthand with the Tkachuk brothers if Brady and Matthew are able to pull through to round two—it can’t be that bad playing against his prospective team. In the meantime, we can only wish Lane Hutson well in taking his father’s strong advice while managing to stay in one piece!