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The month of March hasn’t been kind to the Washington Capitals. However, they did get a bit of bright news for the future when defenseman Cole Hutson signed with the club on Sunday.
The second-round pick from 2024 has been one of the best defensemen in college hockey, recording 80 points (24 goals, 36 assists) with the Boston University Terriers over the last two seasons, one of which they reached the Frozen Four in St. Louis, and also was part of two United States World Junior Championship squads, one of which won gold in 2025, recording 15 points in 10 games for the U.S.
So, what can Capitals fans expect from Hutson, especially with his brother Lane having won the Calder Trophy last year with the Montreal Canadiens?
Comparing the Hutson brothers
Cole is probably a bit more of an offensive threat than his brother was at the college level, although Lane did put up better numbers in his two years in Boston. While Lane’s Terriers both reached the Frozen Four, losing in the national semifinals, this year’s Boston University squad was a much greener club and relied on Hutson and Islanders prospect Cole Eiserman for offense, and didn’t even manage to go over .500 this season with a 17-17-2 mark.
Lane played with now-NHL superstar Macklin Celebrini for his sophomore season, while Cole’s numbers slipped with the Terriers and being injured at the WJCs.
But Cole still carries a lot of upside offensively, as he isn’t afraid to essentially play as a fourth forward, taking off from the blue line and rushing the puck up ice for a chance in tight. Certainly it will be interesting how Capitals coach Spencer Carbery gives room for the young defender to take liberties rushing the puck, as certainly doing this against NHL defenders will be much different than college skaters.
Hutson’s 24 goals in two seasons certainly will be a welcome addition for a team that traded away John Carlson at the deadline, and certainly Hutson’s place in the team’s plans is likely part of the reason they were willing to part with the 17-year veteran in a trade to the Anaheim Ducks. There were certainly rumors teams inquired about Huston in trade talks this season, but certainly it seems that he wasn’t touchable for teams looking for prospects in return.
Hutson also led the Terriers with a team-leading four game-winning goals, and also led BU with 148 shots on net, an average of over four a game. With that, Hutson figures to get a look on the Capitals’ struggling power play, which could certainly use a fresh addition to the unit.
The flip side to Hutson’s aggressive offensive style is he sometimes gets caught up ice, or turns the puck over attempting a rush, so it will be essential to pair him with a stay-at-home defenseman because he will make mistakes that lead to rushes the other direction.
Certainly Hutson plays a high-risk, high-reward kind of defense, and while he is 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, so definitely on the lighter side, he also isn’t afraid to mix it up a bit, finishing his college career with 90 penalty minutes.
Despite BU’s pedestrian record on the ice, Hutson still ended up +13 on the season, and led the Terriers with 25:30 time on ice a game.
Patience is in order
Unlike Lane, who had his first NHL contests being just a pair of games after the Terriers were eliminated by Denver in St. Paul in 2024, Cole will get ample time to adjust to the NHL level before the season ends, with 14 games still left in Washington’s season. And, unlike his WJC teammate in Ryan Leonard, he won’t get the trial-by-fire with Washington likely missing out on the playoffs this season and allowing for some trial-and-error with the young skater.
Certainly, Hutson’s stock has gone up with both his brother’s play and his own play in two years of college, and now the Capitals likely see their second blue-chip college prospect from Hockey East in two years arrive Wednesday night when they host the Ottawa Senators.
Certainly with his style it figures that Hutson will be given a long leash for offensive chances, with the recognition that he may make some mistakes against more talented competition.
So while the Capitals’ future is definitely murky, Washington fans will get a glimpse of their future, likely starting this week.
