The Ottawa Senators have added some veteran depth to their defence with Ben Hutton joining the team on a professional tryout (PTO).
Hutton will be added to Ottawa's training camp roster as Artem Zub deals with an injury. Zub suffered the injury during the Senators' playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, and with him currently unavailable, Ottawa needed another defenceman to bring into camp.
Hutton brings NHL experience to the Senators' blue line
Hutton gives the Senators a player with plenty of NHL experience. The 32-year-old has played more than 400 games in the NHL since making his debut with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015. He spent the first four seasons of his career in Vancouver before moving on to the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights.
In total, Hutton has played 444 NHL games, recording 20 goals and 82 assists for 102 points. He has never been a big offensive defenceman, but he has spent years playing regular minutes in the NHL and has experience in different roles.
That is really what Ottawa is getting with this move. Hutton isn't coming in to replace what Zub brings to the lineup, but he gives the Senators another experienced defenceman to work with while they wait for Zub to return. He also gives the coaching staff another option if injuries become a problem during camp or into the season.
There are still some younger defenders fighting for spots on Ottawa's roster, so bringing in Hutton also gives the team another veteran to compete with them. The Senators can take a look at him during camp and decide from there whether he has done enough to earn a contract.
Bruce Garrioch actually alluded to this possibility on Wednesday, mentioning that the Senators were looking at both Hutton and Logan Stanley. Ottawa has ultimately decided to go with Hutton, bringing a veteran depth defenceman into the mix while Zub deals with his injury.
It is a small move, but one that makes sense for Ottawa right now. The Senators need bodies on defence for training camp, and Hutton gives them another experienced option to work with.
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