The 24th installment of our 25 Montreal Canadiens in 25 days series takes a closer look at prospect Charles Hudon.
Hudon can only pass for 5-foot-11 (his listed height) by standing in his skates, but to steal a line from Mark Twain–it’s not about the size of the man in the fight; it’s about the size of the fight in the man.
This kid is a battler. He likens himself to Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher–another fifth-rounder who ascended quickly to the NHL. If Hudon is to excel at this level, he’ll have to find the confidence that came so naturally to Gallagher. But Hudon’s competitiveness is beyond reproach.
As for the skill component, it’s been there all along.
His shot and agility scream NHL-ready, but Hudon’s hockey sense is what is going to get him there faster than most could have imagined. As remarkable as those aspects of his game are, the scouting reports all point to Hudon’s anticipation, vision and playmaking as the catalysts to his success.
And he’s had plenty of success already.
Hudon scored 273 points in 235 junior games, most of which came with the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Sagueneens. He was just as good when the games mattered most, adding 45 playoff points in 50 games.
He was also a member of two Canadian entries at the World Junior Championship.
Last season, Hudon’s first full year as a pro with the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs, he was electrifying and scored 57 points in 75 games. He was a runner-up for rookie of the year as the AHL’s second-highest scoring freshman and earned MVP honours at the league’s all-star weekend by notching a hat trick.
When asked what he was most proud of about his first professional season, Hudon pointed to his plus-5 rating and how he improved his defence.
It’s believed Hudon will make his mark in Montreal at some point this season, but he might just have to wait a bit first.
Who: Charles Hudon | No. 54 | left wing, centre (shoots left) | 5-foot-11 | 180 pounds | Age: 21 | @KidHud_10
Acquired: 2012 NHL Draft (122nd overall)
Contract status: Three years, $725,000 AAV (expires 2017)
2014-15 Stats: 75 GP l 19 G l 38 A l 57 P l Plus-5
The book on 2014-15:
Hudon started off his 2014-15 by impressing the brass in Montreal, but he left training camp having been told by Canadiens coach Michel Therrien that the team wouldn’t recall him at any point during the season—no matter how well he played.
The message was simple: Hudon had to work on his defensive game. And it was thought that the best thing for his development was to allow him to concentrate on the task at hand, rather than worrying about sticking on an NHL roster.
The Canadiens and Hudon got the best of his defensive development and of his offensive talent.
He started off on a tear, recording 37 of his 57 points from October to January. And though his production tailed off as the season wore on, he began to take on more responsibility on the defensive side.
His all-star performance was probably the highlight of his season.
Off-season updates:
Hudon’s girlfriend gave birth to the couple’s first child in August, a girl named Lyah-Hope.
Upon hearing the news Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin called Hudon to congratulate him and told the young father: “I guess we now know that we have a stable player in our system.”
2015-16 outlook:
Hudon is one of 30 players still at Montreal’s training camp, but with a full deck at forward and Tomas Fleischmann inching towards a contract after impressing on a PTO, it’s unlikely Hudon will start the season with the Canadiens.
However, staying this deep into camp signifies that he’ll be given the chance to show what he can do at the NHL level at some point this season.
Hudon has the ability to be a point-per-game player at the AHL level and the expectation is that he’ll emerge as a leader on a young St. John’s IceCaps team to start the season.
There’s very little value in keeping Hudon in Montreal to play on the team’s fourth line, where he may very well be more capable than some of the players they have slotted into position to start the season.
But if an injury occurs on one of Montreal’s top three lines, Hudon has already established himself as one of the most viable call-ups at the team’s disposal. From this point forward, it’s up to him to show that he can be the No. 1 option.
