Jan 2, 2026; St. Paul, Minnesota, UNITED STATES; United States forward Cole Hutson (44) skates with the puck during the first period in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship against Finland at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Capitals Debuting Newest Rookie Against Senators

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI
By Jennifer Streeter | Last updated Mar 18, 2026 2:00 PM ET

The Washington Capitals have announced that Cole Hutson will be making his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators on the evening of March 18.

Hutson signed a three-year entry-level contract on March 15 to begin his season. The defenseman will have a contract that carries an average annual value of $975,000 — the max for an entry-level deal. Hutson was previously selected in the second round (No. 43 overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft and concluded his sophomore season at Boston University on March 14 with a loss to UConn in the quarterfinals of the Hockey East tournament. Hutson will now burn the first year of his contract as Washington pushes to make the playoffs.

HE'S IN ✅

Cole Hutson will officially make his NHL debut tonight in Washington!

Welcome to the League! pic.twitter.com/CyBE3ssvRf
— NHL (@NHL) March 18, 2026

Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. EST at Capital One Arena against the Senators; Hutson will take his coveted rookie lap beforehand.

Washington currently sits with 74 points in the Metropolitan Division ahead of hosting Ottawa. The Capitals have a 33-27-8 overall record.

Who is Cole Hutson?

At only 19, Hutson logged 32 points across 10 goals and 22 assists with BU this season. The 5-foot-11, 172-pound defenseman led the Terriers in assists, points, game-winning goals (four), overtime goals (two), shots (148) and plus-minus (+13).

Hutson's brother — Lane Hutson — is the reigning Calder Trophy winner (given to the best rookie in the NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens.

Cole won the Tim Taylor Award as the NCAA’s top rookie and was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year during his freshman season. He also represented the United States at the 2026 and 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships. The blueliner served as an alternate captain for the Americans at the 2026 tournament and recorded four points in three games.

Cole helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championship, where he finished as the tournament’s leader in points with three goals and eight assists.

He concluded his collegiate career with 80 points (24 goals, 56 assists) in 74 games played. His 80 points are the most among NCAA defensemen over the last two years.

The Capitals also have Ryan Leonard on the Washington roster in terms of young talent. Leonard — who was born in 2005 — has recorded 35 points so far this season, scoring 14 goals.

Ottawa has 77 points in the Atlantic Division and is coming off a 7-4 win over the San Jose Sharks.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: