Andrew Gross just reported that the Islanders have signed defenseman Ben Hutton to a one-year deal after he spent time with the team on a professional tryout.
The timing is hard to miss. New York hosts the Hurricanes tonight, and the Islanders are coming off a 4-0 loss to the Oilers last Saturday.
Gross put the news in plain terms on social media, noting the club signed Hutton to a one-year contract off his PTO.
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A tryout that turns into a contract usually means the coaching staff liked what it saw. Peter DeBoer and general manager Mathieu Darche have now made that call on a veteran blueliner.
Hutton is no newcomer. He has played 575 NHL games over 11 seasons, and his résumé includes stops in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto, Anaheim and Las Vegas.
That is a lot of miles, and a lot of different systems. It also means the Islanders know exactly what they are getting: a seasoned defenseman who has seen every kind of NHL lineup.
Why the Islanders needed a defense option now
The record is the context here. New York sits at 7-5-2, good for 21st in the NHL and fifth in the Metropolitan Division, with 40 goals for and 39 against.
That is a team hovering around even, with a +1 goal differential. Nothing in those numbers says the roster is broken, but nothing says it is comfortable either.
The Islanders are 4-2-1 at home and 3-3-1 on the road, and they have gone 5-3-2 over their last 10. One loss in the most recent game, a shutout, put a small dent in a decent stretch.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Carolina Hurricanes | 17 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 26 | +24 |
| 2. New Jersey Devils | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 20 | +9 |
| 3. New York Rangers | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 17 | +1 |
| 4. Washington Capitals | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | +1 |
| 5. New York Islanders | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 16 | +1 |
| 6. Columbus Blue Jackets | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 12 | -5 |
| 7. Pittsburgh Penguins | 15 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 12 | -3 |
| 8. Philadelphia Flyers | 17 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 12 | -21 |
What is not known yet is how Hutton fits. The announcement does not say whether he plays tonight or which pairing he might join, and DeBoer has not been quoted on a role.
A one-year deal is a low-risk way to add depth, and signing a player who already earned a look on a tryout is the kind of move that makes sense for a club in the middle of the pack. If the defense corps needs help, this is a cheap way to find out.
The first real answer comes when the lineup is posted and Hutton's name is either on it or not.
Should the Islanders give Ben Hutton a regular spot on the blue line right away?
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