The Washington Capitals were back at it again on Saturday in Las Vegas, looking to retool their roster for the season ahead. The Caps made a high risk move by sending Beck Malenstyn to the Buffalo Sabres but they did so in exchange for Ryan Leonard's Boston College teammate in Cole Hutson.
Per the Caps, Hutson is a native of St. Louis, Missouri and he averaged a point per game last season with 51 points in 51 games, equivalant to 15 goals and 36 assists. He also set the USA's NTDP record for career points by a defenseman with 119.
The St. Louis, Missouri native averaged a point per game during the 2023-24 season (15g-36a--51p in 51 GP) and set the USA's NTDP record for career points by a defenseman (119). https://t.co/jTq4G7DbRu
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) June 29, 2024
In the same thread on X, the Caps noted that Hutson set the USA Hockey NTDP signle season record for points by a defenseman after recording 68 points with 10 goals and 58 assists in 61 games played. That happened in the 2022-23 season.
Hutson is currently still committed to Boston University for the 2024-25 season. He earned a silver medal with Team USA at the 2024 Under 18 World Championship and led all defensemen in goals with four, assists with nine and points with 13 in seven games played.
Hutson said via Tarik El-Bashir on X about getting drafted by the Capitals:
""That's super cool. That's probably one of the things that means the most. They got a lot of trust in me""Cole Hutson
#ALLCAPS second round pick Cole Hutson on WSH trading up to snag him: "That's super cool. That's probably one of the things that means the most. They got a lot of trust in me."
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) June 29, 2024
And that wasn't all the Capitals did in round 2 as they added Leon Muggli with the 52nd pick in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. The 17 year old spent the 2023-24 season with EV Zug of the Swiss National League, leading all U18 skaters with 12 points with three goals and nine assists in 42 games. Muggli's 12 points were the most ever by a defenseman age 17 or younger in league history.
As for Malenstyn he was originally a Caps fifth rounder at 145th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He turned into a pro with the Hershey Bears having helped them win a Calder Cup just one year ago. He also has ties to New York having made his NHL debut on Nov. 20, 2019 at MSG against the Rangers.