Golden Knights sign Ben Hutton to two-year extension

The Golden Knights added some defensive depth back in late October with the signing of Ben Hutton to a one-year, one-way contract worth the league minimum of $750K.  It appears that Vegas likes what it has seen, as the team has officially announced the extension for Hutton. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports it’s a two-year deal worth $800K next season and $900K in 2023-24, meaning his cap hit will be $850K.

The 28-year-old has wound up playing close to a regular role since joining the Golden Knights, suiting up in 35 games this season, collecting nine points while averaging just under 15 minutes a game.  That ATOI is well below his career average (19:22), but it’s a reflection of how strong their defensive core is.  Hutton has 414 career NHL appearances under his belt with five different teams and collected his 100th career point on Friday night with a goal against Anaheim.

While Hutton could have opted to test free agency next summer, that didn’t go well a year ago, which resulted in him signing a PTO deal with San Diego of the AHL (Anaheim’s affiliate) before joining the Golden Knights a few weeks later.  Now, he’s rewarded for his efforts with a bit of job security and a small raise, a nice piece of business for both sides.