Ben Hutton (ice hockey)

Ben Hutton (born April 20, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hutton was drafted 147th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Hutton played Junior A with the Kemptville 73's and Nepean Raiders of the Central Canada Hockey League before joining the college hockey ranks with the Maine Black Bears of the Hockey East league. Hutton earned All-Hockey East First Team honours during his college career. Internationally, he represented Canada at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge, winning silver, and played for Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Moscow, winning gold. Hutton won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

College
Hutton played for the Maine Black Bears in the NCAA Men's Division I Hockey East conference. In his second year, Hutton's outstanding play was rewarded with a selection to the 2013–14 All-Hockey East first team.

Vancouver Canucks (2015–2019)
Hutton was drafted 147th overall by the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Following his junior season with the Black Bears, on March 16, 2015, Hutton was signed to a two-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks. He was then assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, to finish the 2014–15 season. On October 5, Hutton was named to the Canucks' roster to start the 2015–16 NHL season, despite having been expected to begin the year with Utica. He made his NHL debut on October 7, earning his first career point, an assist, setting up Jannik Hansen for the game's opening goal in an eventual 5–1 win against the Calgary Flames. He scored his first NHL goal on January 17, 2016, against goaltender Jaroslav Halák in a game against the New York Islanders, which the Canucks won 2–1 in a shootout. Hutton finished his rookie season with one goal and 24 assists for 25 points in 75 games played, and was named the team's most outstanding defenceman, recognized by the Babe Pratt Trophy.

On November 24, 2016, Hutton signed a two-year, $5.6 million contract extension with the Canucks. On December 3, Hutton appeared in his 100th NHL game, playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs. During the 2017–18 NHL season, Hutton fell out of favour with coach Travis Green, scratching the defenceman and in the following off-season, the Canucks attempted to deal Hutton without success. In his final season with the Canucks, Hutton had 20 points in 69 games and was second on the team in average ice time, averaging 22:21 minutes per game.

Los Angeles Kings (2019–2020)
After not being tendered a contract by Vancouver during the 2019 off-season, Hutton became an unrestricted free agent. On September 17, 2019, he signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings. In 65 games with the Kings during the 2019–20 NHL season, Hutton had 16 points.

Anaheim Ducks (2021)
As a free agent entering the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Hutton belatedly joined the Anaheim Ducks training camp on professional tryout basis. On January 15, 2021, the Ducks signed Hutton to a one-year, $950,000 contract for the remainder of the season. He skated in 34 regular season games with the Ducks, collecting one goal and five points.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2021)
With the Ducks well out of playoff contention, Hutton was dealt at the trade deadline to add blueline depth to the Toronto Maple Leafs, in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2022 on April 12, 2021. He played in his first game with the Maple Leafs in a 4–1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Hutton would play in four regular season games with Toronto, but was a healthy scratch for the team during the postseason. At the end of the season, Hutton was not offered a contract by the Maple Leafs.

Vegas Golden Knights (2021–present)
During training camp in the off-season, Hutton received another professional tryout with the Anaheim Ducks but failed to make the roster. With the 2021–22 season already started, Hutton remained unsigned as a free agent. With the Vegas Golden Knights depleted through injury, Hutton was signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract with Vegas on October 28, 2021. On March 4, 2022, Hutton registered his 100th career point in a 5–4 win over the Ducks. Hutton then signed a two-year, $1.7 million contract extension on March 5, 2022.

In his second season with the Golden Knights, Hutton was in and out of the lineup. He finished the season with 31 games played, scoring three goals and eight points in limited time. Hutton made his playoff debut in Game 5 of the first round in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs versus the Winnipeg Jets. The Golden Knights won the game 4–1, eliminating the Jets. He appeared in the second round versus the Edmonton Oilers also playing the game that eliminated the Oilers, but did not play in the Western Conference Finals versus the Dallas Stars or the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals versus the Florida Panthers. Hutton and the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup, beating the Panthers in five games in the finals. On December 22, 2023, Hutton signed a two-year, $1.95 million contract extension with Vegas.

International play
Hutton represented Canada East at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge in Langley, British Columbia. He scored a goal and two assists in four games as Canada East won silver, losing to Canada West in the gold medal game.

Hutton represented Canada national team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, alongside Vancouver Canucks teammate Christopher Tanev. Hutton won a gold medal in the tournament as Canada defeated Finland 2–0 in the final.