How good is Ben Hutton?

[Billy Kvcmu]

Like you said, he's a very effective transition defenseman. Pretty effective at zone exits and entry defense. Like a "new-age" defenseman. He's a guy who could comfortably slot on a second pair with a good partner, or make for a very good #5 defenseman. He's not a natural point producer, and his in-zone defending needs work, so he's probably best utilized in medium-difficulty minutes. Agreed on all fronts.

As for the bolded....Hutton has been quite effective and had positive results on pretty much any pair without Gudbranson. Hutton/Tanev were extremely effective in a tough minutes role, and Hutton/Stecher were cromulent when they had to run as the #1 pair when injuries hit, although they did tail off just due to the sheer burden placed upon them.

Hutton was kinda exposed when playing with Stetcher. The difference between both of them was pretty obvious.

 

[bossram]

Hutton was kinda exposed when playing with Stetcher. The difference between both of them was pretty obvious.

I did say they tailed off. He was above his head in those minutes.

I see Hutton as at least as effective as Myers...except the cap commitment would be far, far less.

 

[F A N]

I like Stetcher, he's actually one of my favourite Canucks, but do you think Stetcher is good enough to carry a #6/7 guy for 25+ minutes a night against top lines when Edler/Tanev were out?

No I don't.

 

[biturbo19]

Hutton is definitely not a guy you want as a shutdown Dman. With him, the sum is less than his parts. His underlying stats suggest that he's a good neutral zone defender. He's also pretty good at exiting with possession. But his D down low isn't good. That's why Jordie Benn is seen as a huge upgrade defensively. Hutton has good size but he doesn't play physical. He has a good shot and can carry the puck but somehow he hasn't put things together and put up good offensive production.

Basically, many of us see Hutton as a guy who should be a solid 2nd pairing Dman who can produce offensively. But that never materialized.



Trying to figure out which pairing works for Hutton is a bit difficult as he has never played in a pairing where you can say he made a positive impact.

Yeah. Hutton is not a guy you want anywhere near a "shutdown" role. You want him matched up in manageable, softer minutes with a steady partner. Ideally as a bottom-pairing guy who can slide up if you have injuries.

Some Canucks fans will make way too much of the idea that Gudbranson is the sole reason Hutton struggled. Realistically though, Gudbranson looked better away from Hutton too. It just wasn't a pairing that worked for either of them. But Hutton has really only looked serviceable, when carried by a better/more stable partner who can cover up for some of his mistakes.

He's that kind of awkward "offensive defenceman" who likes to have the puck on his stick, but hasn't really translated that to a lot of tangible offensive results. More so, he's a useful defenceman who is a bit soft and prone to really frustrating mistakes. He'd be a solid bottom-pairing defenceman who can move up in a pinch...but he doesn't really play that type of "easy" and "simple" game coaches typically prefer in those depth defencemen.

There are tools there, and it continues to fool some people into thinking there's a lot more there...but the guy is 26 now, with 4 NHL seasons under his belt, yet he's barely distinguishable from the kid he was when he entered the league. Just no real progression.

 

[orcatown]

One of the best puck watching dmen in the league. Has the tools but no toolbox.

Agree. Has some fundamental problems in terms of defensive zone positioning. Ends up turning back to danger behind him to track puck. Also rather than take his check completely out of the play will release his check and go back to tracking the puck. At times just looks confused in his own zone. Can have some good periods of play but then tends to relapse to just being a body out there in the d-zone.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

@Bet the Over You will get two types of answers, depending on where the posters fall on the Benning-support-scale and how they feel the need to justify letting Hutton walk.

 

[skyo]

Hutton plays his best with a solid defensive dman partner, he had some short success with Tanev and even Tryamkin for a bit.

Best suited as a #5 dman bottom pairing LD, but can move to 2nd pairing if needed, strikes me as a type that he'd get better as he ages, late 20's early 30's age range when he'd peak. He's definitely not a shutdown dman, more an ok transitional dman up the ice, but kinda lacks the skills to finish the scoring job in the end.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

Third pairing guy, has his moments, also has a lot of “off games” don’t think the devils will be relying on him too much so it could be an okay addition but the chances you’re gonna love him are slim to none. He’s just it’s kind of there. His first season he Came out of no where and was a pleasant surprise. His next season dropped off and the one after that was worse but he did imorove on some aspects of his game. He’s really a meh defender when compared to most guys, but can have some big moments like overtime winners or a break away goal.

 

[Scott Stevens]

Third pairing guy, has his moments, also has a lot of “off games” don’t think the devils will be relying on him too much so it could be an okay addition but the chances you’re gonna love him are slim to none. He’s just it’s kind of there. His first season he Came out of no where and was a pleasant surprise. His next season dropped off and the one after that was worse but he did imorove on some aspects of his game. He’s really a meh defender when compared to most guys, but can have some big moments like overtime winners or a break away goal.

Are you breaking news here?

 

[Green Blank Stare]

He's trash.

Some guys on here will prop him up because they hate Benning but letting him walk was the right move. Seems the rest of the league agrees as well.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Thanks guys!

 

[F A N]

@Bet the Over You will get two types of answers, depending on where the posters fall on the Benning-support-scale and how they feel the need to justify letting Hutton walk.

You can make valid points without constantly dismissing points made for reasons of perceived bias. The topic of Hutton has been discussed extensively here prior to him not being qualified. I was in the trade Hutton camp. Certainly not in the let him walk for nothing in return camp. You can be objective about a player and having bias towards management. Of course not everybody does that here.

 

[vanuck]

He's trash.

Some guys on here will prop him up because they hate Benning but letting him walk was the right move. Seems the rest of the league agrees as well.

Everyone else describing him as he is - a useful 2nd/3rd pairing D who should be in your bottom 4 - regardless of which "camp" they're in... and then there's you staying he's trash and is only being propped up because posters hate Benning.

Sounds completely reasonable bud.

 

[tantalum]

There is a fairly large list of unsigned high profile (or somewhat high profile) RFAs yet to be signed that I think is preventing some of these other D-men signings. ONce these guys start signing you will see the next rush on the "forgotten" UFAs. From what I read Hutton has had numerous offers as has Gardiner (better player of course) but they think the offers will get better in some regard in the next month (maybe not yearly money but term).

 

[Tage2Tuch]

Are you breaking news here?

Oh I didn’t even check if he was signed, I assumed he was by the thread. I didn’t bother checking I just figured due to the thread the devils picked him up, my Bad. I didn’t care enough to verify if Hutton joined New Jersey lol but guess I should of. I also didn’t realize this was in the Vancouver Canucks forums I thought this was in the trade and signings thread.

 

[F A N]

There is a fairly large list of unsigned high profile (or somewhat high profile) RFAs yet to be signed that I think is preventing some of these other D-men signings. ONce these guys start signing you will see the next rush on the "forgotten" UFAs. From what I read Hutton has had numerous offers as has Gardiner (better player of course) but they think the offers will get better in some regard in the next month (maybe not yearly money but term).

I think the thing preventing Hutton from signing is reflective of what has been expressed here. Potentially he can be a 2nd pairing Dman who is capable of logging heavy minutes for a team when injuries hit. But he's not really seen as a guy you want to plug into your 2nd pairing on most teams.

 

[tantalum]

I think the thing preventing Hutton from signing is reflective of what has been expressed here. Potentially he can be a 2nd pairing Dman who is capable of logging heavy minutes for a team when injuries hit. But he's not really seen as a guy you want to plug into your 2nd pairing on most teams.

That would seemingly be a guy that would be offered a solid deal then. Most teams in the league could use that guy and pay pretty well for it. I think it’s not a case of not receiving a contract at an acceptable yearly... I think he’s waiting to see if he can get more term/security. As he is the echelon of player that may be putting that ahead of the yearly payoff.

 

[Hit the post]

...but the guy is 26 now, with 4 NHL seasons under his belt, yet he's barely distinguishable from the kid he was when he entered the league. Just no real progression.

Can't help but think the time spent with Guds did irreversible damage. But yes, he's not a "kid anymore".

 

[Paulinvancouver]

Not.

 

[F A N]

That would seemingly be a guy that would be offered a solid deal then. Most teams in the league could use that guy and pay pretty well for it. I think it’s not a case of not receiving a contract at an acceptable yearly... I think he’s waiting to see if he can get more term/security. As he is the echelon of player that may be putting that ahead of the yearly payoff.

That depends on what "solid deal" is. Calvin De Haan got a 4 year $4.55M AAV deal last summer as a young UFA 2nd pairing Dman. This season, Chiarot got 3 years at $3.5M AAV. Nemeth got 2 years at $3M AAV. Benn's deal is for $2M AAV. That's not counting the RFA deals that were in the $3-3.5M range.

$2M AAV is not 2nd pairing Dman money. $3M AAV range is. Is someone offering Hutton a 2+ year deal at $3M+ AAV? He made $2.8M last season. If a team doesn't see him as that 2nd pairing Dman why would they make that offer? But if Hutton isn't getting that 2nd pairing money he might be want to gamble on himself and take a 1 year deal with a team that is going to give him the best opportunity to raise his stock.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

Nothing worse than a defensman without a mean streak. Like Mickey said “the worse thing that can happen to a fighter happened to you, you got civilized “

 

[PuckMunchkin]

You can make valid points without constantly dismissing points made for reasons of perceived bias. The topic of Hutton has been discussed extensively here prior to him not being qualified. I was in the trade Hutton camp. Certainly not in the let him walk for nothing in return camp. You can be objective about a player and having bias towards management. Of course not everybody does that here.

Just check the posts in this thread. Its funny how the takes split like I described.

I too think we should have traded him.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I really feel sorry for Hutton. I honestly can't think of a player who's been more maligned due to the incompetence of the partner he was saddled with. Gudbranson basically ruined his career. You can't help but wonder how he and Stecher would've turned out had they gone to half decent teams early on instead of this shitpile.

 

[M2Beezy]

@Bet the Over i see some people here with an agenda so heres what we had to say in January about him before this drama happend. 89% of us ranked him our #3 dman. Doesnt mean he is a #3 dman on a cup winning team, but was liked. I think could be a 4 or 5 on a team looking to win

Who is the Canucks #3 dman? 2019 edition

 

[Intangibos]

I really feel sorry for Hutton. I honestly can't think of a player who's been more maligned due to the incompetence of the partner he was saddled with. Gudbranson basically ruined his career. You can't help but wonder how he and Stecher would've turned out had they gone to half decent teams early on instead of this ****pile.

It's sad when not only do PP opportunities go to vets on a basement team deluding themselves that they can be competitive, but the young players with some potential end up having to babysit some of the worst vets on the team. Then the players with no potential get gifted the soft minutes the young players should get so that they don't get completely exposed.

This whole team is backwards in literally every area. Management, development, coaching and roster/deployment. Quite remarkable.