The Washington Capitals have signed defenceman Cole Hutson to a three-year entry-level contract beginning this season, the team announced Sunday.
The deal carries an average annual value of $975,000.
Washington selected Hutson in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft. He is the younger brother of Edmonton Oilers forward Quinn Hutson and Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson.
Hutson, 19, is coming off another strong campaign with the Boston University Terriers in the NCAA Division I men's hockey, where he had 10 goals and 32 points in 35 games.
As a sophomore, Hutson finished tied for fifth among NCAA defencemen in scoring and earned Hockey East First Team All-Star honours for the second straight season.
Hutson had a breakout season as a freshman in 2024–25, registering 14 goals and 48 points in 39 games. His 34 assists led Boston University, while his 48 points ranked second on the team. He also helped the Terriers reach the national championship game, recording a tournament-high eight points in four games.
In his rookie season, he earned the Tim Taylor Award as the NCAA’s top freshman, along with Hockey East Rookie of the Year honours.
Across two collegiate seasons, Hutson finished with 24 goals and 80 points in 74 games — the most points by an NCAA defenceman over that span.
Hutson has been a key contributor for the U.S. men's world juniors team, helping the Americans capture gold in 2025, leading the tournament in scoring with 11 points in seven games. Hutson became the first defenceman in tournament history to lead the event in scoring and set a Team USA single-tournament record for points by a defenceman.
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