Ben Hutton (ice hockey)

Ben Hutton (born April 20, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hutton was drafted 147th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Ben Hutton
Hutton with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015
Hutton with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015
Born (1993-04-20) April 20, 1993 (age 31)
Prescott, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Vegas Golden Knights
Vancouver Canucks
Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks
Toronto Maple Leafs
National team  Canada
NHL draft 147th overall, 2012
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 2015–present

Hutton played Junior A with the Kemptville 73's and Nepean Raiders of the Central Canada Hockey League before joining the college hockey ranks with the Maine Black Bears of the Hockey East league. Hutton earned All-Hockey East First Team honours during his college career. Internationally, he represented Canada at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge, winning silver, and played for Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Moscow, winning gold. Hutton won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

Playing career

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College

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Hutton played for the Maine Black Bears in the NCAA Men's Division I Hockey East conference. In his second year, Hutton's outstanding play was rewarded with a selection to the 2013–14 All-Hockey East first team.[1]

Professional

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Vancouver Canucks (2015–2019)

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Hutton was drafted 147th overall by the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.[2] Following his junior season with the Black Bears, on March 16, 2015, Hutton was signed to a two-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks. He was then assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, to finish the 2014–15 season.[3] On October 5, Hutton was named to the Canucks' roster to start the 2015–16 NHL season, despite having been expected to begin the year with Utica.[4] He made his NHL debut on October 7, earning his first career point, an assist, setting up Jannik Hansen for the game's opening goal in an eventual 5–1 win against the Calgary Flames.[5] He scored his first NHL goal on January 17, 2016, against goaltender Jaroslav Halák in a game against the New York Islanders, which the Canucks won 2–1 in a shootout.[6] Hutton finished his rookie season with one goal and 24 assists for 25 points in 75 games played, and was named the team's most outstanding defenceman, recognized by the Babe Pratt Trophy.[7]

On November 24, 2016, Hutton signed a two-year, $5.6 million contract extension with the Canucks.[8] On December 3, Hutton appeared in his 100th NHL game, playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[9] During the 2017–18 NHL season, Hutton fell out of favour with coach Travis Green, scratching the defenceman and in the following off-season, the Canucks attempted to deal Hutton without success.[10] In his final season with the Canucks, Hutton had 20 points in 69 games and was second on the team in average ice time, averaging 22:21 minutes per game.[11]

Los Angeles Kings (2019–2020)

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After not being tendered a contract by Vancouver during the 2019 off-season, Hutton became an unrestricted free agent. On September 17, 2019, he signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings.[12] In 65 games with the Kings during the 2019–20 NHL season, Hutton had 16 points.[13]

Anaheim Ducks (2021)

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As a free agent entering the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Hutton belatedly joined the Anaheim Ducks training camp on professional tryout basis.[13] On January 15, 2021, the Ducks signed Hutton to a one-year, $950,000 contract for the remainder of the season.[14] He skated in 34 regular season games with the Ducks, collecting one goal and five points.[15]

Toronto Maple Leafs (2021)

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With the Ducks well out of playoff contention, Hutton was dealt at the trade deadline to add blueline depth to the Toronto Maple Leafs, in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2022 on April 12, 2021.[15] He played in his first game with the Maple Leafs in a 4–1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.[16] Hutton would play in four regular season games with Toronto,[17] but was a healthy scratch for the team during the postseason.[18] At the end of the season, Hutton was not offered a contract by the Maple Leafs.[17]

Vegas Golden Knights (2021–present)

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During training camp in the off-season, Hutton received another professional tryout with the Anaheim Ducks but failed to make the roster.[17][19] With the 2021–22 season already started, Hutton remained unsigned as a free agent. With the Vegas Golden Knights depleted through injury, Hutton was signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract with Vegas on October 28, 2021.[20] On March 4, 2022, Hutton registered his 100th career point in a 5–4 win over the Ducks.[19] Hutton then signed a two-year, $1.7 million contract extension on March 5, 2022.[21]

In his second season with the Golden Knights, Hutton was in and out of the lineup. He finished the season with 31 games played, scoring three goals and eight points in limited time.[18] Hutton made his playoff debut in Game 5 of the first round in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs versus the Winnipeg Jets. The Golden Knights won the game 4–1, eliminating the Jets.[22] He appeared in the second round versus the Edmonton Oilers also playing the game that eliminated the Oilers, but did not play in the Western Conference Finals versus the Dallas Stars or the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals versus the Florida Panthers.[23] Hutton and the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup, beating the Panthers in five games in the finals.[24] On December 22, 2023, Hutton signed a two-year, $1.95 million contract extension with Vegas.[25]

International play

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Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing   Canada
World Championships
  2016 Russia
Representing   Canada East
World Junior A Challenge
  2011 Canada

Hutton represented Canada East at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge in Langley, British Columbia.[26] He scored a goal and two assists in four games as Canada East won silver, losing to Canada West in the gold medal game.[27]

Hutton represented Canada national team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, alongside Vancouver Canucks teammate Christopher Tanev.[28] Hutton won a gold medal in the tournament as Canada defeated Finland 2–0 in the final.[29]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Kemptville 73's CJHL 4 0 0 0 0
2009–10 Kemptville 73's CJHL 60 16 18 34 6 4 0 0 0 2
2010–11 Kemptville 73's CCHL 61 8 27 35 28
2011–12 Kemptville 73's CCHL 35 7 20 27 25
2011–12 Nepean Raiders CCHL 22 4 12 16 6 18 5 8 13 6
2012–13 University of Maine HE 34 4 11 15 18
2013–14 University of Maine HE 35 15 14 29 8
2014–15 University of Maine HE 39 9 12 21 14
2014–15 Utica Comets AHL 4 1 0 1 2
2015–16 Vancouver Canucks NHL 75 1 24 25 14
2016–17 Vancouver Canucks NHL 71 5 14 19 31
2017–18 Vancouver Canucks NHL 61 0 6 6 23
2018–19 Vancouver Canucks NHL 69 5 15 20 43
2019–20 Los Angeles Kings NHL 65 4 12 16 14
2020–21 Anaheim Ducks NHL 34 1 4 5 11
2020–21 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 4 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 58 3 10 13 32
2022–23 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 31 3 5 8 6 2 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 41 2 8 10 17 1 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 509 24 98 122 191 3 0 0 0 0

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2011 Canada East WJAC   4 1 2 3 2
2016 Canada WC   5 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 4 1 2 3 2
Senior totals 5 0 1 1 0

Awards and honours

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Award Year
College
All-Hockey East First Team 2013–14 [30]
AHCA East Second-Team All-American 2013–14
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2023 [24]
Vancouver Canucks
Babe Pratt Trophy 2015–16 [7]

References

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  1. ^ "UMaine's Shore, Hutton earn first team All-Hockey East honors". Bangor Daily News. April 5, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  2. ^ "Canucks take former Kemptville 73's defenceman in NHL draft". InsideOttawaValley.com. June 28, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "Canucks sign defenseman Ben Hutton". Vancouver Canucks. March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  4. ^ Drance, Thomas (October 6, 2015). "Scouting the newbies". Vancouver Canucks. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  5. ^ Vickers, Aaron (October 7, 2015). "Sedins, Sutter lead Canucks past Flames in opener". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  6. ^ Gorman, Denis P. (January 17, 2016). "Ryan Miller, Canucks hold off Islanders in shootout". CBC Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Canucks announce 2015.16 Team Awards". National Hockey League. April 9, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  8. ^ "Canucks sign Hutton to Two-Year Contract Extension". Vancouver Canucks. November 25, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  9. ^ Patterson, Jeff (December 17, 2016). "Jeff Paterson: Ben Hutton on life, his NHL debut, a new contract ... and FaceTiming the grandparents". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  10. ^ MacIntyre, Iain (September 18, 2018). "Canucks' Ben Hutton looking to re-launch NHL career under Travis Green". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  11. ^ "Defenceman Ben Hutton signs one-year deal with Kings". Sportsnet. September 18, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  12. ^ "LA Kings Agree to Terms on Deal with Ben Hutton". Los Angeles Kings. September 18, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019 – via NHL.com.
  13. ^ a b "Ben Hutton to join Ducks on professional tryout agreement". Sportsnet. January 10, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  14. ^ "Ducks Sign Defenseman Hutton to One-Year Contract". Anaheim Ducks. January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021 – via NHL.com.
  15. ^ a b "Maple Leafs acquire Ben Hutton from Anaheim". Toronto Maple Leafs. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021 – via NHL.com.
  16. ^ "Maple Leafs win in Ben Hutton's first game". Brockville Recorder & Times. April 30, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Hutton signs PTO contract with Anaheim Ducks". iHeartRadio. October 7, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Ruhnke, Tim (April 19, 2023). "Hutton turns 30 as Vegas looks to rebound". The Brockville Recorder & Times. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Schoen, David (March 4, 2022). "Golden Knights report: Defenseman reaches milestone in victory over Ducks". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  20. ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Sign Defenseman Ben Hutton To One-Year Contract". Vegas Golden Knights. October 28, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via NHL.com.
  21. ^ "VGK Sign Defenseman Ben Hutton To Two-Year Contract Extension". Vegas Golden Knights. March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  22. ^ "Knights top Winnipeg 4-1 in Game 5, advance to second round". ESPN. Associated Press. April 28, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Zajac, Ronald (June 17, 2023). "Hutton will bring the Cup to Prescott". The Brockville Recorder & Times. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Brewer, Contessa (June 14, 2023). "Golden Knights' Stanley Cup win cements Las Vegas as a big-time sports city". CNBC. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  25. ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Sign Defenseman Ben Hutton to Two-Year Contract Extension". NHL.com. December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  26. ^ Wilson, Brian (November 9, 2011). "73's Captain Ben Hutton laces up for Canada East". Renfrew Mercury. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via insideottawavalley.com.
  27. ^ "Canada West Wins Gold Medal at 2011 World Junior A Challenge Canada East Takes Silver, United States Wins Bronze". Hockey Canada. November 13, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  28. ^ Traikos, Michael (May 15, 2016). "Premium ice time: Playing or not, Ben Hutton's grin hasn't gone away at the world championship". National Post. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  29. ^ Wagner, Daniel (May 23, 2016). "Chris Tanev and Ben Hutton are world champions". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  30. ^ "League Announces All-Star Teams". HockeyEastOnline.com. April 1, 2014. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
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  NODES
INTERN 6
Note 1