Overview
- The Islanders announced Thursday that Ben Hutton agreed to a one-year deal for the 2026-27 season that media reported as a one-way, pro-rated $900,000 contract.
- Hutton joined the team on a professional tryout on Monday and was signed after a three-day evaluation, with the PTO allowing the club to practice and assess him before offering an NHL contract.
- The signing makes Hutton immediately available to a shorthanded defense corps while Alex Romanov is out for the season and Ryan Pulock continues a recent return-to-practice progression.
- Hutton is a 33-year-old left-shot defenseman who spent the last five seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, won a Stanley Cup in 2023 as a depth player, and was originally drafted by Vancouver in 2012.
- The move is a low-risk roster reinforcement that should add experience to the bottom pairings, could affect spots for depth defensemen such as Matt Kessel or Scott Mayfield, and carries only a modest, season‑long cap impact.