Canadiens Star Receives Strong Endorsement to Make U.S. National Team
The Montreal Canadiens somehow had not one but two of the most popular ‘snub’ selections from the latest edition of the U.S. National Team’s roster at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. After his tremendous season, could Team U.S.A. bring Lane Hutson to the World Cup?
Hutson and Cole Caufield were long shots to both make the U.S. roster under general manager Bill Guerin. Still, the fact that neither of them made the roster was surprising. It’s fair still to wonder if either might have a path to the 2028 World Cup of Hockey with Team U.S.A. Hutson is coming off a remarkable season and playoffs. Caufield’s chances might not be as good, but he should still be in consideration.
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The crew from the popular hockey outlet Daily Faceoff had multiple minor disagreements in projecting out the next iteration of the U.S. roster. The next major international competition will be the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. One place they did not disagree was the inclusion of superstar defenseman Lane Hutson on the U.S. roster.
The World Cup of Hockey
What will this rendition of the World Cup of Hockey look like? The tournament will feature eight teams. Best-on-best play will feature a European and North American pool of play. Host cities will include Prague and Calgary during pool play. The teams that successfully emerge from pool play will finish the tournament in Edmonton.
We won’t know the rosters for a while. While fans learned some of the very early core selections for the 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympics, the full rosters were not known until much closer to the actual event. That gives plenty of time for two American stars playing for Montreal to polish their resumes.
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Dazzling Play Could Bring Lane Hutson to the World Cup
Hutson’s meteoric rise will eventually make him one of the best defenders in NHL history who is shorter than 5-foot-10. In two NHL seasons, Hutson won the Calder Trophy and has twice finished top-10 in voting for the Norris Trophy. He doubled his goal output from six to 12 last season, but more impressively, Hutson earned the second 60-assist season in his short career.
He’s only 22. He’s signed long-term. And though he and the Canadiens seemed to run out of gas in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals loss to Carolina, it’s clear that Hutson is one of the best defensemen on the planet. He graded out as one of the best overall players in the sport last season, per Hockey Stat Cards.
Montreal dominated its opponents when Hutson was on the ice, outscoring its opponents 92-55 at five-on-five. He also anchored the 10th-best power play in the NHL last season by efficiency. Efficiency is a strong word in this instance. The Canadiens were 30th in the NHL in high-danger chances per 60 minutes on the power play, but 10th in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes with the man advantage, all according to Natural Stat Trick.
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Another Hutson Snub Possible
Hutson’s got another full season and change to prove he belongs at the highest level of American hockey. Still, if Bill Guerin remains in charge and adheres to his past trends, Hutson is no lock to make the team.
Kyle Morton, who writes for Daily Faceoff, wants Hutson on the team. He acknowledged the chance that he won’t make it, citing redundancy concerns tied to the already strong puck-moving, power-play savants like Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski on the team. Anthony Trudeau, also of Daily Faceoff, similarly questioned whether Bill Guerin and coach Mike Sullivan would be open to the ‘pint-sized analytic darling’ on a team that chose not to bring a similar veteran defender, Adam Fox, to Italy.
Cole Caufield’s Path is Harder
There was less unanimity among the three writers on Caufield’s potential fit on Team U.S.A. Caufield, a fellow short king at only 5-foot-8, is coming off the first 50-goal campaign of his NHL career. He also chipped in six goals and 13 points in 19 playoff games this postseason.
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Matt Ellis and Kyle Morton both selected Caufield in their projected teams. Anthony Trudeau doesn’t believe there’s a path for Caufield behind Tage Thompson. Despite the size difference, they play similar roles as one-shot snipers. The size difference, a clear Guerin preference, is where it gets harder for Caufield. Even worse, Thompson can play center and wing, while Caufield is only a wing.
There will be an opportunity with players continuing to age out. Brock Nelson, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck are now all in their mid 30’s. It’s entirely plausible that all three won’t make the 2028 World Cup team. That opens up a path for Caufield, but he’ll be facing very stiff competition from the likes of young forwards like Logan Cooley, Matthew Knies, Cutter Gauthier, Josh Doan and Shane Pinto. Jason Robertson’s name likely returns to the table in 2028 after being snubbed in 2026. The other challenge comes from players similar to Trocheck, Nelson and Miller. Even if those three do not make the team, similar players like Alex Tuch and Nick Schmaltz could earn a look if their strong play continues.
It’s still a long way to February 2028. There will once again be plenty of noise around Montreal’s two American stars and their goal of representing the United States in best-on-best international play.
Still, unlike in 2026, it seems like there’s a path for Lane Hutson to the World Cup.
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