Journeyman Hutton relishes role on Golden Knights blue line

When the NHL season started in October, defenseman Ben Hutton was without a team and at his Ottawa home waiting for the phone to ring. 

It wasn’t until Oct. 28, seven games into the Golden Knights’ season, that he put pen to paper and flew to Las Vegas.

It may have taken him awhile to get here and established, but he’s become key member of the Vegas blue line, having dressed in the last seven games entering tonight’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

“It was definitely a little bit stressful at the beginning of the year, just trying to find a home,” Hutton said. “For sure when you’re watching on TV your mind starts racing a little bit. It’s hard to stay level-headed, but I did my best and now I’m here, so we’re good.”

The 28-year-old Hutton was drafted by Vancouver and broke into the league with the Canucks in 2015-16, posting 25 points in 75 games while figuring into the power-play rotation. He played four seasons and 276 games with the Canucks before he hit free agency in 2019.

From there, his career has been a bit of a roller coaster. He signed with the Kings and played almost all of the pandemic-shortened season with them before hitting free agency again and signing with the Ducks on a professional tryout to begin last season. He was traded to Toronto at the deadline and played in four games before hitting free agency again.

This time, the season started before he’d get another contract. He had a few soft offers and minor-league inquiries over the summer, but felt confident that some team would call.

That team was the Golden Knights, who were plagued with injuries at the start of the year and in need of veteran defensemen. They signed Hutton to a one-year, league-minimum deal in late October.

“(My agent) called me and finally said, 'You know what, there’s an actual offer on the table and it’s one of the best teams in the league,' so it was a win-win for myself,” Hutton said. “Stanley Cup contender, down in Las Vegas, I’ve only heard great things about the organization and the group of guys, so I was happy to come down and see what it was all about and happy to be here.”

He’s fit in well to the Vegas lineup, originally part of the blue line while Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud were injured and remaining in the rotation over Dylan Coghlan once Whitecloud returned. He hasn’t missed a game in logging two assists.

“I think it was a great signing at the time because we knew he could play, it was just getting him up to speed,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think if he’s sitting out there right now he’s probably got 15 teams looking to sign him, so we’re lucky to have him.” 

He’s part of a wave of players including waiver-acquisitions Michael Amadio and Adam Brooks and the rash of minor-league call-ups all trying to help Vegas stay afloat when so much of the team was hurt.

“He’s got great skills, and I think he actually has fit in pretty easily,” said captain Mark Stone, who knew Hutton from his days playing in Ottawa as well as playing on Canadian national teams together. “He’s played really well.”

The Golden Knights are slowly returning to health, and are one defenseman (Martinez) short of a full-strength blue line. Once he returns, Hutton will likely shift to a reserve role. And once all the forwards return too, he’ll need to battle for even that.

Until then, though, Hutton is focused on playing the best hockey he can. He’ll be a free agent again this summer and whether it be with the Golden Knights or another team, a strong season now can help propel him to another contract.

He’s off to a good start in Vegas. Though there is one thing he’d still like to do.

“I’ve had a couple looks to score a couple goals too, so it’d be nice to put one in the back of the net and keep it rolling from there,” he said.