New Jersey Devils release veteran goaltender from his PTO deal
The New Jersey Devils brought in former Leafs goalie Michael Hutchinson on a professional tryout (PTO) for training camp, but he's been released by the team.
With the 2024-25 NHL season just a week away, teams are making final roster cuts, and Hutchinson is among the players who didn't make the cut. The 34 year old has had a long journeyman career playing for several NHL teams including the Toronto Maple Leafs where he spent parts of four seasons. He was hoping to land a spot with the Devils, but at this stage of his career, finding a full-time NHL role is tough.
Hutchinson has appeared in 154 NHL games, mostly as a backup goalie, with a career record of 57-62-18, a .903 save percentage, and a 2.93 goals-against average (GAA). Last season, he played one game for the Detroit Red Wings and posted a solid .917 save percentage, but his time in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins wasn't as strong, finishing with a 14-14-3 record and a .892 save percentage.
As teams focus on finalizing their rosters Hutchinson's chances of signing with another team are slim. His best bet is probably to stay patient and hope for an opportunity to arise if another team faces injuries & needs a reliable backup later in the season.
While his NHL future is uncertain Hutchinson still has enough experience to be an asset for a team that needs him down the line so we will have to wait and see what happens.
