Concern in Montreal after Lane Hutson misses Canadiens practice

Hockey fans in Montreal are breathing a little bit easier today after a report from Montreal Canadiens insider Eric Engels.

It was reported yesterday that Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was absent from his team's practice, which led to speculation that the 21 year old might be suffering through an injury or an illness.

Today though, Engels reports that Hutson was simply given a mandatory "day off the ice" from head coach Martin St. Louis. The coach must have felt like his player needed a break away from the rink and so he instructed him to take the day off to rest his body and reset his mind.

From Engels:

You hear that sound?

That's the collective sound of all of La Belle Province exhaling in relief.

Hutson, of course, is key to the team's success and will be tasked with helping get the Habs back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs down the stretch drive over the next 10 weeks.