There are big things coming for Washington Capitals rookie blueliner Cole Hutson, and this upcoming season will be a pivotal one as he's projected to make quite the impact.
According to The Hockey News Yearbook, Hutson is projected to finish this season with 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points on a 79-game pace. He's also one of the standout names to watch as a candidate for the Calder as the NHL's top rookie.
Hutson is coming off an impressive first taste of NHL action. After finishing his sophomore season at Boston University, he made the jump to the Capitals last March, and down the stretch, had three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 14 games while proving to be a pivotal part of D.C.'s defense corps.
This coming season, the 20-year-old is expected to play an even bigger role, as he'll not only get more minutes and responsibility with Rasmus Sandin on the long-term injured reserve to start the year, but be expected to produce more offensively at 5-on-5 and on the power play, run by new coach Ray Bennett.
Hutson is back in town and preparing for the upcoming season with a handful of Capitals in informal skates and practice sessions. He's then going to take part in the team's annual rookie camp in Annapolis from Sept. 13-15 before training camp officially starts on Sept. 17.
As he looks to continue making an impact at the highest level, Hutson has spent the offseason looking to get "bigger, stronger and faster," noting that it'll help him continue to advance.
"It's something I need to work on if I want to stay at this level," Hutson said at season's end, adding, ""I've learned a lot... it was an unbelievable experience for me. I learned so much so fast about the game and how hard it really is to play at this level consistently. So, it's just a head start for next year, and hopefully, I'm ready to kind of stay in the league."
For more point projections and season predictions, check out THN's annual yearbook here.
