Former University of Maine All-American defenseman Ben Hutton went to his first Vancouver Canucks training camp last fall “trying to make a name for myself.”
“I wanted to prove to myself I could play with these guys,” said Hutton, a fifth-round pick (147th overall) of the Canucks in the 2012 NHL entry draft.
He passed up his final year at UMaine to sign with Vancouver a year ago.
“I was fortunate enough to crack the lineup and, from there, it has been a whirlwind that kept getting better and better and ended with a world championship,” Hutton said.
Not only did Hutton defy the odds by becoming a regular along the blue line for the Canucks as a 22-year-old rookie, he also was chosen to play for Team Canada in the recently concluded International Ice Hockey Federation championships in Russia.
The Canadians won the gold medal 2-0 over previously undefeated Finland last weekend.
Hutton played in 75 games for the Canucks and was the team’s top-scoring defenseman with 25 points (one goal, 24 assists).
Hutton played in five of the Canadians’ 10 games in Russia and had an assist and a plus-three rating.
Former first-round choice and fifth-year pro Ryan Ellis joined the team after the Nashville Predators were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs and he replaced Hutton in the lineup.
“When I was in the lineup, I felt good and thought I played well. Then Ryan came over and took my spot,” said Hutton, who turned 23 on April 20. “But I was just happy to be there. It was a great experience.”
The games were played on Olympic-sized ice sheets (200 feet by 100 feet) as opposed to the smaller NHL rinks.
“It felt like playing at UNH again,” quipped Hutton, referring to the University of New Hampshire’s Olympic-sized Whittemore Center ice surface.
He said he was surprised to get the call to play for Canada.
“There were so many great defensemen they could have picked from. I’m happy they called,” said Hutton. “All of us were pretty young, and we could skate and move our feet. That’s part of the reason they wanted us over there.”
Hutton roomed with Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand, and they became good friends. The team spent most of its time in St. Petersburg.
He toured the city and went on boat tours with his father, Jim.
“It’s a beautiful city and the architecture was unbelievable,” said Hutton.
Hutton said playing for his country was surreal.
“Every time I put that jersey on, I had a little bit of a grin on my face,” said Hutton, who had 28 goals and 37 assists in 108 games over three seasons for UMaine and set the school single-season record for goals by a defenseman with 15 his sophomore year.
He became the first defenseman to ever lead the Black Bears in goals.
Hutton’s first pro season was impressive. After playing 20 minutes or more per game just twice in his first 37 games, he played 20 or more minutes 32 times over his last 38 games.
He was even used on the power play.
“I was very pleased with the season. I just wish we could have made the playoffs,” said Hutton.
Vancouver general manager Jim Benning told the Vancouver Sun in March that they knew Hutton was going to be an NHL player and “grow into a top-four guy.”
“I guess the biggest surprise is how fast he has grown in such a short period of time in his overall game. We had been waiting for him to step back in his play. But he just keeps growing and getting better. He has been a pleasant surprise, to say the least,” said Benning.
Hutton credited UMaine head coach Red Gendron and his staff for preparing him to make the jump to pro hockey, and he is hoping to continue his improvement.
“I’d like to put the puck in the net a few more times next year. I want to continue to grow as player and as a person. I feel I can get bigger, stronger and faster,” said Hutton, a native of Prescott, Ontario, whose dream is to play in the Olympics for Canada.