When Team USA announced its 44-man roster for the 2026 Men’s Olympic Orientation camp, fans expected to see a star-studded lineup. But one name was shockingly missing from it. It was the omission of Montreal Canadiens’ Lane Hutson.
It has left both fans and critics puzzled. The defenseman is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season and has been among the best rookies in the league. One insider didn’t waste any time raising some questions regarding this move.
Insider Raises Questions on Why Lane Hutson Wasn’t Invited to the Camp
With 66 points in 82 games, Hutson has proved himself to be one of Montreal’s best defensive pieces and an offensive powerhouse. His performances in the regular season were one of the biggest reasons Montreal made the playoffs.
This makes it even stranger that his name wasn’t included in the list for the Orientation Camp. Critics were eager to point out that while he wasn’t there, his teammate at Montreal, Cole Caufield, made the cut for the August 26-27 event.
NHL insider Greg Wyshynski shared this opinion. In his recent tweets, he made it clear that there was no reason why Hutson couldn’t attend the camp. He said, “Unless there’s a material reason he couldn’t attend, I don’t understand not inviting Lane Hutson to experience U.S. Olympic development camp.”
Unless there’s a material reason he couldn’t attend, I don’t understand not inviting Lane Hutson to experience U.S. Olympic development camp.
No, he wasn’t going to make the 2026 roster. But neither are Jackson LaCombe and Alex Vlasic, so …
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) August 19, 2025
He believes that for a young player like Hutson, this would’ve given him some exposure to play or be near veterans like Patrick Kane and Jake Guentzel. Wyshynski continues, “No, he wasn’t going to make the 2026 roster.”
With 22 of the selected 44 men being part of the 4-Nations face-off earlier this year, the chances for Hutson looked slim. Wyshynski also mentioned that neither Jackson LaCombe nor Alex Vlasic would make the final cut, but they were still brought into the fold. He believes there was no harm in letting Hutson be at the camp.
Many have speculated that LaCombe and Vlasic’s presence in Team USA’s gold medal-winning roster at the 2025 IIHF World Championship was a big factor behind their inclusion. Not to mention, Team USA also broke its 92-year-old drought at the event, having last won it in 1933.
With the World Championship being seen as a launchpad for USA Hockey’s build-up towards their squad for Milan 2026, many suspect they would like to keep the same players. Meanwhile, Hutson might’ve been omitted for not answering the call for the event.
Hutson mentioned earlier this year that he had gotten the call for the World Championship; he ultimately decided not to participate in the event. But while Hutson has yet to get his big taste of the Olympic stage, he remains one of Montreal’s biggest prospects.
And while he won’t be at Milano-Cortina 2026, critics believe it won’t take too long before we see Hutson in the thick of things.
