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- Nov 17, 2013
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Michael Hutchinson is saving the day for the Avalanche — and making Leafs fans realize maybe he wasn’t the problem
Michael Hutchinson is saving the day for the Avalanche — and making Leafs fans realize maybe he wasn’t the problem
If you were to create a list of unlikely heroes for the Stanley Cup playoffs, Michael Hutchinson’s name would probably be at the top of it.
Given the year he had with the Maple Leafs, the mere idea that he’d be the Avalanche’s go-to netminder in Friday’s Game 7 against the Dallas Stars would seem ludicrous.
And to think that he’d be 2-0 in elimination games in the playoffs — a third-stringer jumping in when Dallas had a 3-1 series lead, was in seeming control and Colorado had no other choice — well, what alternate universe would you be inhabiting?
But here we are.
“A lot of hockey is being in the right place at the right time,” said Hutchinson. “And being able to take advantage of certain opportunities as they come up. Everything going on with the bubble, it’s absurd and surreal at the same time.
“It’s one of those things that happens. For myself, I’ve been able to play quite a few NHL games, practise with teams for a few years. I always felt my game was in a place where if I got an opportunity, I could be successful.”
Counting regular season, playoffs and a relief appearance, Hutchinson is 3-0 as a member of the Avalanche, with a 1.59 GAA and .940 save percentage, and the team has full confidence in him with its season in the balance.
“I had no doubts,” said Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon. “When he came from Toronto, he played really well for us. We had no reason to believe he wouldn’t play well. He hasn’t played for a while, but he was looking great in practice, working hard, great training camp.
“It’s not easy for him. The composure he had. He’s a big guy, takes up a lot of room. He’s definitely stepped up.”
If you’re a Leafs fan, maybe you’ll have to consider that perhaps Hutchinson wasn’t the problem.
In Toronto, Hutchinson went 4-9-1 with a 3.66 GAA and .886 save percentage. Out of the 64 goalies who’d played at least 10 games, his save percentage was the 63rd best by the time the Leafs traded him to Colorado for defenceman Calle Rosen.
He hasn’t lost as an Av, winning the only regular-season game he played prior to the coronavirus pandemic-induced pause, and now stepping in for injured Pavel Francouz, who’d stepped in for the injured Philipp Grubauer.
So what’s the difference?
“It’s two different teams,” says former goalie Martin Biron. “Two different situations. When Hutchinson was with the Leafs, a lot of times, that was a back-to-back situation. The team did not do great in front of him.
“Now he’s in the playoffs with Colorado. And as far as his first game, it was 5-0 before he could blink. For a goalie, that feels great. You don’t have to put so much pressure (on yourself). Then he wins, then he adopts the position: ‘Hey, let’s go have fun.’
“Then he plays really well in Game 6. The mental approach changes.”
Digging deeper, Hutchinson saved 78.8 per cent of shots deemed to be highly dangerous as a Leaf, and 88.4 per cent of the ones deemed highly dangerous as an Avalanche, according to naturalstattrick.com.
If the difference is largely the team in front of the goalie, Biron says, then the Leafs would be wise to think twice about moving starter Frederik Andersen, as has been rumoured lately.
“I cannot believe the Leafs would be looking at acquiring a different goalie than Frederik Andersen,” said Biron. “The guy has save their ass more than once. They play a very entertaining style of hockey, but I do believe the Grade A chances the Leafs give up are A-plus, plus, plus, and he’s had to save the day. That’s a tough place to be as a goaltender.
Michael Hutchinson is saving the day for the Avalanche — and making Leafs fans realize maybe he wasn’t the problem
If you were to create a list of unlikely heroes for the Stanley Cup playoffs, Michael Hutchinson’s name would probably be at the top of it.
Given the year he had with the Maple Leafs, the mere idea that he’d be the Avalanche’s go-to netminder in Friday’s Game 7 against the Dallas Stars would seem ludicrous.
And to think that he’d be 2-0 in elimination games in the playoffs — a third-stringer jumping in when Dallas had a 3-1 series lead, was in seeming control and Colorado had no other choice — well, what alternate universe would you be inhabiting?
But here we are.
“A lot of hockey is being in the right place at the right time,” said Hutchinson. “And being able to take advantage of certain opportunities as they come up. Everything going on with the bubble, it’s absurd and surreal at the same time.
“It’s one of those things that happens. For myself, I’ve been able to play quite a few NHL games, practise with teams for a few years. I always felt my game was in a place where if I got an opportunity, I could be successful.”
Counting regular season, playoffs and a relief appearance, Hutchinson is 3-0 as a member of the Avalanche, with a 1.59 GAA and .940 save percentage, and the team has full confidence in him with its season in the balance.
“I had no doubts,” said Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon. “When he came from Toronto, he played really well for us. We had no reason to believe he wouldn’t play well. He hasn’t played for a while, but he was looking great in practice, working hard, great training camp.
“It’s not easy for him. The composure he had. He’s a big guy, takes up a lot of room. He’s definitely stepped up.”
If you’re a Leafs fan, maybe you’ll have to consider that perhaps Hutchinson wasn’t the problem.
In Toronto, Hutchinson went 4-9-1 with a 3.66 GAA and .886 save percentage. Out of the 64 goalies who’d played at least 10 games, his save percentage was the 63rd best by the time the Leafs traded him to Colorado for defenceman Calle Rosen.
He hasn’t lost as an Av, winning the only regular-season game he played prior to the coronavirus pandemic-induced pause, and now stepping in for injured Pavel Francouz, who’d stepped in for the injured Philipp Grubauer.
So what’s the difference?
“It’s two different teams,” says former goalie Martin Biron. “Two different situations. When Hutchinson was with the Leafs, a lot of times, that was a back-to-back situation. The team did not do great in front of him.
“Now he’s in the playoffs with Colorado. And as far as his first game, it was 5-0 before he could blink. For a goalie, that feels great. You don’t have to put so much pressure (on yourself). Then he wins, then he adopts the position: ‘Hey, let’s go have fun.’
“Then he plays really well in Game 6. The mental approach changes.”
Digging deeper, Hutchinson saved 78.8 per cent of shots deemed to be highly dangerous as a Leaf, and 88.4 per cent of the ones deemed highly dangerous as an Avalanche, according to naturalstattrick.com.
If the difference is largely the team in front of the goalie, Biron says, then the Leafs would be wise to think twice about moving starter Frederik Andersen, as has been rumoured lately.
“I cannot believe the Leafs would be looking at acquiring a different goalie than Frederik Andersen,” said Biron. “The guy has save their ass more than once. They play a very entertaining style of hockey, but I do believe the Grade A chances the Leafs give up are A-plus, plus, plus, and he’s had to save the day. That’s a tough place to be as a goaltender.
