Free Agent Profile: Ben Hutton
The free agent defense market has been slow-moving with Jake Gardiner not signing yet. That has a lot to do with the fact that Ben Hutton remains unsigned despite being one of the top blueliners still available.
The 26-year-old had a disastrous 2017-18 campaign. He went from being a top-four defender to someone that was a healthy scratch with some regularity while failing to score in 61 games. He looked like a sure fire non-tender candidate at the expiration of his contract in 2019.
However, Hutton really turned things around last season. He worked his way back into the top four and often spent time on the top pairing as he averaged a career-best 22:21 per night while chipping in with 20 points in 69 games. Despite that, the Canucks still declined to qualify him as his eventual arbitration award would have greatly affected their cap room.
While there are teams that may be concerned about his consistently poor plus/minus (he has been -21 or worse in three of his four seasons), Hutton still is a player that could serve as an upgrade for quite a few teams. He’s also a strong skater at a time where teams are placing a greater emphasis on mobility on the back end which also helps increase his value.
Potential Suitors
Don’t mistake the fact that he remains unsigned as a sign that there wasn’t been much interest. Hutton’s agent, Andy Scott, indicated earlier this month that there are plenty of offers on the table already and that there’s no question that he’ll be signed before training camp. Speculatively, his camp may be waiting for Gardiner to sign in the hopes that once he’s off the market, offers for Hutton will only get higher.
While he’s not an ideal option on the top pairing, Hutton would represent a strong upgrade on the third pairing for a lot of teams and would fit in on the second pair on quite a few as well.
In the East, the Canadiens have been looking for help on the left side and while they’ve already added Ben Chiarot, Hutton would give them another potential upgrade. Toronto has a need for defensive help but with their salary cap situation, that’s probably not a realistic fit at this time unless there’s a trade in place to shed salary beforehand. Detroit has already added Patrik Nemeth this offseason but with several other blueliners in the final year of their respective contracts, some insurance would certainly be handy while he’d immediately become one of their younger rearguards.
Out West, the Kings have been linked to him going back to the start of free agency and they haven’t really replaced Jake Muzzin who was dealt to Toronto last season. Hutton could plausibly fit in their top four and if they are indeed looking to rebuild, he’s someone that could plausibly be dealt for future assets close to the trade deadline. The Jets have been hit hard on the back end this summer with the departures of Chiarot, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba and while they need to leave a lot of money earmarked for RFA wingers Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, there should still be enough wiggle room for them to add someone like Hutton who could push for a top-four spot there as well.
Projected Contract
Hutton was rated 38th on our Top 50 UFA list with a projected contract of two years at $2.75MM per season. While he remains unsigned, there’s still a good chance that he winds up with a deal like that (although a one-year pact is also certainly an option). Once Gardiner signs, there should start to be some movement on Hutton and with demand outweighing supply at this point when it comes to capable blueliners, he’ll be poised to capitalize on that. He may just have to wait a few more weeks for that to come to fruition.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
West Notes: Engelland, Hutton, Eriksson
The bonus structure for Deryk Engelland‘s new contract has been reported by PuckPedia, and there are certainly some achievable milestones for the veteran defenseman. Engelland will receive a $300K bonus for playing in ten games, and an additional $100K at the 20 and 30 game thresholds. He’ll also get an additional $100K if he finishes the season in the top-five on the Vegas Golden Knights in ice time, an $100K for making the playoffs, and $25K for each successful round.
The relatively easy bonuses are another reason why the Golden Knights didn’t want to be using long-term injured reserve if they can avoid it, hence the trade of David Clarkson‘s contract earlier this week. If they were using LTIR and Engelland reached the bonuses, they would be applied as a cap overage in 2020-21 giving the team even less room for additional spending. Obviously $800K in overages isn’t the end of the world, but for a team like Vegas who is expected to be cap-strapped for some time they can make a difference.
- Ben Hutton‘s agent Andy Scott of Octagon Hockey spoke to Rick Dhaliwal on Sportsnet radio, and explained that he has no doubt the free agent defenseman will be signed before the year starts. Hutton has “plenty of offers” according to Scott, though nothing has been worked out so far. Scott also gave his take on the Brock Boeser situation (who is represented by fellow Octagon agent Ben Hankinson) explaining that “everyone is taking it slow” in the market right now. Boeser is one of a huge number of star restricted free agents still without contracts as August nears.
- The conversation around Vancouver Canucks forward Loui Eriksson continues, this time with Harman Dayal of The Athletic (subscription required) exploring potential trade options in the form of LTIR contracts coming back. The most eye-popping suggestion is one that revolves around Ryan Kesler, who is a polarizing figure in Vancouver. The veteran center heard boos for his entire career with the Anaheim Ducks whenever they traveled to Vancouver after forcing his way out of the Canucks organization in 2014, but is not expected to ever play again after debilitating hip injuries and multiple surgeries. Eriksson still has three years remaining on his contract which carries a $6MM cap hit.
Ben Hutton Drawing “Strong Interest” As Offseason Continues
The free agent period is now more than three weeks old and several interesting names remain unsigned. While Jake Gardiner is the top defenseman left on the open market, Ben Hutton is another option that would be much cheaper for a team closer to the cap. That might be why Luke Fox of Sportsnet reports that there is “strong interest from multiple teams” in Hutton, even at this later stage of free agency.
Hutton, 26, actually ranked 38th on our list of the Top 50 UFAs this year, thanks almost entirely to the huge role that he has played on the Vancouver Canucks the last several years. While he hasn’t shown very well in advanced statistics, the left-handed defenseman has averaged over 20 minutes a night through his four-year career including a whopping 22:21 per game in 2018-19. Hutton registered 20 points in 69 games last season with the Canucks and has 70 in his career, but is also a -75 as he and the rest of the team haven’t had much success during that time.
The Canucks decided not to qualify Hutton as a restricted free agent, an offer that would have been worth $2.8MM. That would have also allowed him to elect salary arbitration for an even bigger raise, something that Vancouver didn’t want to pay as they had their eyes set on bigger prizes. The team brought in Tyler Myers on one of the biggest deals in free agents at five-years, $30MM and also signed Jordie Benn and Oscar Fantenberg to round out their depth chart. Those three added to a group that is also bringing Quinn Hughes on for a full season didn’t have room for Hutton, especially at a relatively high salary.
But for another team, he may be the kind of player that can play a solid depth role or become perfect trade bait. A rebuilding club could continue to give him big minutes and hope his production improves even further, only to flip him down the road when teams are needy for playoff depth. Or, given his relative youth, if someone believes he can be a key player for them bring him in for a reasonable price now that the market frenzy has died down. Either way, the interest in Hutton isn’t surprising even if he has had to wait a few weeks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Qualifying Offers, Haas, Doan
The quality of players hitting the open market today after not receiving qualifying offers is much higher than in recent years past, as teams facing frightening salary cap crunches do not want to issue expensive offers or risk possible arbitration decisions. However, many of these top names officially becoming unrestricted free agents may not be done with their current team’s just yet. The poster boy of this idea is Ryan Hartman, acquired by the Dallas Stars yesterday only to not receive a qualifying offer today. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the team was unable to negotiate with Hartman in the short time after he was acquired and did not want to risk the potential award that he could land in arbitration. Dallas obviously made the deal knowing this was a possibility and LeBrun notes that they plan to use the waning days of early negotiating rights to their advantage in hopes of signing him. The same story rings true for the Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Ben Hutton. The team did not want to pay Hutton his $2.8MM qualifying offer, nevertheless what he might make in arbitration, especially as they pursue another top defenseman in Tyler Myers, so the team tried to find another solution. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwhal reports that they tried first to trade Hutton, but to no avail. The only other possibility was to let him reach UFA status, negating his arbitration rights, and try negotiating a deal with a lower salary. It seems like a stretch for Vancouver, but so long as they have rights to Hutton, they’ll try their hardest to work out a deal. One last name that may not be headed elsewhere after all is young forward Curtis Lazar. The Calgary Flames did not feel Lazar was worthy of a near-$1MM qualifying offer or potential arbitration battle, but they also have not closed the door on re-signing him, writes beat reported Kristen Anderson. The Flames are continuing negotiations with Lazar’s camp in hopes that he may return at a lower number. However, after Lazar was given just one NHL appearance this season, one would think that he will look for a better opportunity elsewhere next season.
- Swiss hockey site He Shoots He Scores reports that a deal is imminent between NLA star Gaetan Haas and the Edmonton Oilers. The site relays the news directly from Haas’ agent, who claims an offer has been submitted and will be signed. The 27-year-old forward is coming off back-to-back dominant seasons, recording 30 goals and 79 points in 97 games overall for SC Bern. A two-way center who plays a complete game, this will be Haas’ first venture out of Switzerland, other than international competition, and the Oilers will hope his game can translate. This would be Edmonton’s second import of the off-season already, along with Swedish forward Joakim Nygard, as the team continues to seek affordable scoring help.
- Arizona State University continues to benefit from being the lone NCAA on the west coast by sweeping up the sons of former nearby NHLers. The Sun Devils received another notable commitment recently from none other than the son of Arizona’s most beloved hockey player, Shane Doan. Josh Doan, 17, announced that he will stay close to home by playing for the program, beginning in 2021-22. Doan was drafted by the USHL’s Chicago Steel last year and will likely spend a season or two with the team before arriving at Arizona State. Doan now joins Carson Briere and Jackson Niedermayer as sons of famous hockey fathers all committed to ASU. Add in recent New Jersey Devils draft pick, goaltender Cole Brady, and the future is looking bright for the upstart Sun Devils program.
List Of Players Not Receiving A 2019 Qualifying Offer
The deadline to issue a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agents comes down at 4pm today, making any player who has not received one eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. It does not stop them from re-signing with the team for a different amount. Below are the players who will not be issued a qualifying offer:
Anaheim Ducks
D Jake Dotchin, D Trevor Murphy, D Keaton Thompson
Arizona Coyotes
G Hunter Miska, F Nick Cousins, F Josh Archibald
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
F Eric Cornel, D Jack Dougherty, D Brycen Martin, F Sean Malone* (Signed to AHL deal)
Calgary Flames
F Curtis Lazar, F Brett Pollock, F Kerby Rychel, D Josh Healey, G Mason McDonald
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
D Blake Hillman, F Anthony Louis, F Spencer Watson, F Luke Johnson, F David Kampf
Colorado Avalanche
F Sven Andrighetto, G Spencer Martin, D Sergei Boikov, D Mason Geertsen, F Julien Nantel
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
F Brett Ritchie, F Ryan Hartman, D Chris Martenet, G Philippe Desrosiers
Detroit Red Wings
F Martin Frk, F Axel Holmstrom, F Dylan Sadowy, D Libor Sulak
Edmonton Oilers
F Tobias Rieder, F Ty Rattie, F Colin Larkin, F Tyler Vesel, D Robin Norell
Florida Panthers
F Vincent Praplan, F Henrik Haapala, D Michael Downing, D Ludwig Bystrom
Los Angeles Kings
F Nikita Scherbak, F Brendan Leipsic, F Matheson Iacopelli, F Pavel Jenys, D Alex Lintuniemi
Minnesota Wild
F Pontus Aberg, F Chase Lang, F Dante Salituro, D Michael Kapla
Montreal Canadiens
F Hunter Shinkaruk, F Daniel Audette, D Brett Lernout
Nashville Predators
F Phillip Di Giuseppe, F Justin Kirkland
New Jersey Devils
F Stefan Noesen, D Ryan Murphy, G Cam Johnson
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
D Julius Bergman, D Fredrik Claesson, D Chris Bigras, G Chris Nell, G Brandon Halverson
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
F Justin Bailey, D Jacob Graves
Pittsburgh Penguins
San Jose Sharks
D Joakim Ryan, F Rourke Chartier, F Jon Martin, F Alex Schoenborn, D Michael Brodzinski, D Cody Donaghey, D Cavan Fitzgerald
St. Louis Blues
F Nikita Soshnikov, F Conner Bleackley
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Nicholas Baptiste, F Gabriel Gagne, D Jordan Subban, G Eamon McAdam
Vancouver Canucks
F Brendan Gaunce, F Markus Granlund, F Yan-Pavel LaPlante, D Derrick Pouliot, D Ben Hutton
Vegas Golden Knights
F Tomas Nosek, F Alex Gallant, F Tobias Lindberg, F Tomas Hyka, G Zach Fucale
Washington Capitals
F Dmitrij Jaskin, F Mason Mitchell, F Hampus Gustafsson, F Mathias Bau-Hansen
Winnipeg Jets
F Marko Dano, D Joseph Morrow, D Nathan Beaulieu, D Jimmy Oligny, G Ken Appleby
Canucks Not Expected To Qualify Ben Hutton
A weak free agent market for defensemen may be getting an unexpected major addition. With the deadline to qualify restricted free agents arriving tomorrow, teams are down to the last minute to extend offers to retain their young RFA’s. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Vancouver Canucks are not planning to make that offer to one of their top defensemen, Ben Hutton. If Hutton is not qualified, he will become an unrestricted free agent and would jump to the top of the list available defenders in terms of ice time and arguably all-around role last season.
According to Friedman, the Canucks and Hutton had not come close to an extension as of yet and the team was worried about a possible arbitration award for the capable defenseman. Vancouver has ample cap space heading into the off-season, but need to re-sign Brock Boeser and were already rumored to be in the market for a top free agent defenseman. The team clearly prefers spending money on the existing UFA blue liners more than retaining Hutton, as his departure will only exacerbate their need for help on defense. Top free agent options Jake Gardiner and Tyler Myers are surely to be targets of the team now, if they weren’t already.
Hutton will get his money from another team, if not the Canucks. The 26-year-old University of Maine product recorded 20 points this season, his third year of 19+ points in four NHL seasons, and set a career high with 22:21 ATOI. A reliable two-way contributor, Hutton’s defensive game has also grown and Vancouver relied on him in all situations last season. Few available defenseman can eat minutes and play competently at even strength, man-up, and man-down to the degree that Hutton did last year, so he will likely draw considerable interest if and when he hits the market.
Vancouver Canucks Will Not Qualify Derrick Pouliot
The deadline to make qualifying offers to restricted free agents is still more than six weeks away, but the Vancouver Canucks have given one of their impending RFA’s an early heads up. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that the team has informed defenseman Derrick Pouliot and his representation that they will not qualify him this off-season. As a result, Pouliot will now be an unrestricted free agent this summer, free to sign with any team he likes.
This move is both surprising and unsurprising all at once. On one hand, Pouliot’s name is still associated with youth and upside. On the other, he has never lived up to his expectations and that “youth and upside” may have very well passed him by. The 25-year-old was the 8th overall pick in 2012 by the Pittsburgh Penguins and dominated the junior level with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks before turning pro. In his first two pro seasons, Pouliot split his time between playing for the Penguins and putting up major numbers with their AHL affiliate and looked to be on the verge of a breakout in Pittsburgh. Instead, the 2016-17 season was a major disappointment; Pouliot was held scoreless in just 11 NHL games and his production dropped off in the minors as well. The Penguins dealt him to the Canucks that off-season in exchange for a mere fourth-round pick and Andrey Pedan, who never played a game in Pittsburgh and has since bolted for the KHL. Pouliot was handed a starting role in Vanouver last year and responded with a strong campaign. He set career highs across the board, recording 22 points in 71 games and playing second-pair minutes. He even showed he could be an adept shot blocker, knocking down 118 shots despite never previously displaying any ability in that area. However, just like in Pittsburgh, when Pouliot seemed primed to take the next step, it was instead a step backward. This year, he played in only 62 games, registered only 12 points, and saw his ice time and defensive responsibility cut back.
Likely contributing to the decision to move on from Pouliot is also the influx of young talent on the blue line in the Canucks’ system. With Pouliot stalling in his development, the team probably figured they would be better off using the roster space elsewhere. Heading into 2019-20, the Canucks will have ample competition for jobs even without Pouliot. Calder hopeful Quinn Hughes will lead a young unit that could include fellow top pick Olli Juolevi, undrafted free agents Mitch Eliot, Brogan Rafferty, and Josh Teves, mainstays Troy Stecher, Chris Tanev, Ben Hutton, and Alex Biega, and AHL standouts Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois, and that’s not even including unrestricted free agents Alexander Edler and Luke Schenn, both of whom would like to re-sign. There’s too many cooks in the kitchen as there is, so it makes sense that the Canucks have decided to move on from a player they feel was given a fair shot and didn’t make the most of it.
Pouliot isn’t in danger of being dismissed by every other NHL team though. On a Vancouver club that was not very good during his tenure, Pouliot still put up respectable offensive numbers and showed more of his defensive game than he did in Pittsburgh. Still a high-end skater who is only 25, it seems likely that there will be plenty of teams lining up this summer to give Pouliot another chance. This may be the last time that his name value helps him out however, especially after a down year, so look for Pouliot to choose a team where there is both a clear path to ice time, but also enough protection that he can continue to grow and round out his game without being overexposed.
West Notes: Hutton, Ehlers, Haley
Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton had a nice bounce-back season in 2018-19. After spending a lot of time as a healthy scratch the year before, he was viewed as a potential trade candidate heading into the season. Instead, he played a key role on Vancouver’s back end, logging over 22 minutes a night, the second-most on the team. He played well enough that he may have wound up making himself a trade candidate this summer, suggests Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston.
After looking like a possible non-tender option last summer, Hutton is a safe bet to receive his $2.4MM qualifying offer. (While he received $2.8MM in salary last season, $400K of that was a signing bonus which isn’t factored into a qualifying offer.) Johnston notes that Quinn Hughes will be a regular next season while the team intends to bring back Alex Edler. Prospect Olli Juolevi also figures to be in the mix in the near future which gives the Canucks solid depth on the left side and potentially makes Hutton expendable in the coming months.
More from the West:
- Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers left Thursday’s Game Five late in the third period after blocking a point shot and he did not take part in today’s gameday skate, notes Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun (Twitter link). While head coach Paul Maurice expressed some optimism that Ehlers would be available to play, Par Lindholm is expected to take the warmup in case Ehlers can’t suit up. While Ehlers has yet to score in 20 career postseason contests, he still deepens Winnipeg’s attack and gives them another scoring threat after putting up his third straight 20-goal season.
- Sharks winger Micheal Haley has resumed skating, reports NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika (Twitter link). However, he did so without his full equipment which suggests he’s still a little while from returning. Haley sustained an ankle injury in the third game of their first-round series against Vegas and while he was held off the scoresheet, he contributed physically with eight hits in those three contests despite averaging just over six minutes a night of playing time.
Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Meier, Hutton, Goldobin
Despite his long-awaited return Saturday, the San Jose Sharks remain somewhat concerned about the long-term status of star defenseman Erik Karlsson. The team gave Karlsson as much time to rest his injured groin as possible, but with the playoffs around the corner, the team hopes the injured blueliner can stay healthy throughout the playoffs, according to Mercury News’ Paul Gackle.
Karlsson, who has played in just five games since Jan. 16 before aggravating his injury, is dealing with an injury that could resurface at any time, according to Sharks’ head coach Peter DeBoer. “You don’t know,” DeBoer said. “It could be like last time where he was healthy, but he caught it awkwardly and it ended up being a different injury. You don’t know. But you get these guys to a point where you get the green light that they’re healthy and you go.”
Regardless, DeBoer adds that the team isn’t rushing Karlsson just because the playoffs are here, claiming that Karlsson is ready to return to the ice now. The 28-year-old has three goals and 45 points in 52 games this season.
- The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier will not play Saturday in the team’s regular season finale, but DeBoer expects him to be ready for the first game of the playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights. Meier went down Thursday after falling awkwardly during the third period and having Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse then fall on top of him. The 22-year-old picked up a career-high 30 goals and 66 points this season.
- The Province’s Ed Willes writes that Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has said the team wants to add a defenseman, but with little interest in paying out big bucks on the free-agent market. The scribe believes the team is thus likely to acquire one via trade, suggesting they may be looking to send off forward Jake Virtanen and defenseman Ben Hutton to upgrade the defense. The 22-year-old Virtanen continues to improve as he scored 15 goals last season, but has been somewhat underwhelming considering he was the sixth overall pick in 2014. Hutton, on the other hand, had an impressive season this year, making up for two down seasons, but his consistency is still in question.
- The Canucks will have other decisions to make as the team will have to decide on whether they want to keep forward Nikolay Goldobin going into next year as he will become a restricted free agent this summer. The 23-year-old finished the season with seven goals and 27 points in 63 games, but the team has used him sporadically in the second-half of the season. “You hope he takes the next step, he did make strides this year,” Benning said, via Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. “We will sit down with the coaching staff and decide if we want him back and continue to work with him and develop him.”
Canucks Notes: Demko, Hutton, Schenn, Lockwood
With the impressive play of Jacob Markstrom this season, the Vancouver Canucks have an interesting conundrum to face as the team suddenly may have themselves too much goaltending depth. The 29-year-old Markstrom has had another solid season as the Canucks’ starting goaltender, posting a winning record of 28-22-9 on a losing team, while posting a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage.
However, Markstrom’s solid play raises some questions, according to the Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston, who suggests that with his improved play, the team might want to consider trading from strength and consider moving top goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko this off-season. With another franchise goaltender in waiting with 19-year-old Michael DiPietro ready to go pro next season, the team could move Demko without significant loss. Demko has played in seven NHL games, and has played extremely well in five of those games. However, because of two poor outings, his .903 save percentage doesn’t look as impressive.
Regardless, the 23-year-old Demko would be high in demand from teams looking for a future franchise goaltender. Johnston suggests it’s a similar situation to when the team opted to trade goaltender Cory Schneider back in 2013 for a first-round pick, which eventually turned out to be Bo Horvat.
- The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that Vancouver should consider moving defenseman Ben Hutton. The 25-year-old blue liner seems to have returned to the form he showed in an impressive rookie year back in the 2015-16 season. After two seasons of struggles, Hutton has once again proven to be a top-four defenseman. Regardless, Dayal suggests that the 25-year-old’s success might be the best the team will ever see and they might be better off moving on from him now while his value is at its highest.
- The Canucks are close to signing defenseman Luke Schenn to a one-year contract extension, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman late last night on Hockey Night in Canada. Schenn, who came over to the Canucks in a January swap with the Anaheim Ducks for Michael Del Zotto, has fared well, showing energy and becoming a quick fan favorite in his 15 games with Vancouver. Schenn, who fell out of favor in Anaheim, is currently finishing out a one-year, $800K deal that he signed with the Ducks last offseason.
- In the same commentary, Friedman also confirmed rumors that University of Michigan forward William Lockwood has told the Canucks that he intends to return to college for his senior year. The 20-year-old had a solid year with the Wolverines as he tallied 16 goals and 31 points in 36 games last season. The 2016 third-round pick out of Michigan could opt to become a unrestricted free agent at this point next season.