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Islanders Bring in Former Kings Defenseman With Plenty of NHL Experience
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- Islanders Bring in Former Kings Defenseman With Plenty of NHL Experience
Ben Hutton is still looking for a place in the NHL, and the former Kings defenseman will have a chance to make that happen with the New York Islanders.
The Islanders announced Monday that they've signed the 33-year-old to a professional tryout (PTO). It's another opportunity for a player who's spent the better part of the last decade moving around the league and finding ways to stay in the lineup.
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Hutton's time in Los Angeles came during the 2019-20 season. He played 65 games for the Kings, scoring four goals and adding 12 assists. Los Angeles finished that season out of the playoffs, and there wasn't much to celebrate for a team still trying to get back on track. Hutton was one of the regulars on the blue line, though, and chipped in 16 points along the way.
He didn't stay in Los Angeles for long. Hutton moved on to Anaheim and Toronto before finding a home in Vegas in 2021. His five seasons with the Golden Knights turned out to be the longest stop of his career, and he was there when the franchise finally got its hands on the Stanley Cup in 2023.
Hutton had a career year in the goal department last season, scoring six times in 55 games. He added nine assists for 15 points and also appeared in seven playoff games as Vegas reached the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. He picked up an assist during that run.
There's something to be said for a player who's managed to stick around this long without being a big-name defenseman. Hutton has never been known for putting up huge numbers, but teams have continued to find a use for him.
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He made his NHL debut with Vancouver in 2015 and has since played 575 games between the Canucks, Kings, Ducks, Maple Leafs and Golden Knights. He's recorded 30 goals and 109 assists in that time. He also won gold with Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.
Getting another NHL contract won't be automatic. A PTO gives Hutton a chance to show the Islanders he can still help them, but he'll have to earn that opportunity during training camp.
It's been quite a career for a defenseman who spent just one season in Los Angeles. Kings fans saw him during a forgettable year for the franchise, while Vegas fans got to watch him lift the Stanley Cup a few years later.
Now Hutton is hoping there's still another chapter left to write.
