Ben Hutton’s next NHL stop is coming with a familiar kind of opportunity: a professional tryout, this time with the Ottawa Senators.
The Senators announced Wednesday that the former Golden Knights defenseman has been added to training camp on a PTO, giving him a chance to earn a contract in Ottawa.
ROSTER UPDATE: Defenseman Ben Hutton has been added to the training camp roster on a PTO.
MISE À JOUR: Le défenseur Ben Hutton participera au camp d'entraînement avec un contrat d'essai professionnel (PTO).
- Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) September 17, 2026
Hutton spent the last five seasons in Vegas and never exactly lived in the spotlight, but he carved out real value as a steady, useful piece on the back end. Last season, he played 55 games as the Golden Knights’ seventh defenseman and posted six goals and nine assists, along with 3.2 point shares. Over his five years with the club, he totaled 14 goals and 34 assists, which is a big reason he’s still viewed as one of the more overlooked names from that Golden Knights run.
His NHL résumé goes well beyond Vegas, too. Hutton has 30 goals and 109 assists across 11 seasons, with previous stops in Anaheim, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver. His 2015-16 season with the Canucks remains a notable one, when he finished with a goal and 24 assists.
What Ottawa may be getting, if Hutton sticks, is a defenseman who has long made his living doing the unglamorous stuff well. At 33, he’s been described as a responsible presence who can handle one-on-one situations and fit into a structure without creating extra chaos. During his time with the Golden Knights, he logged 8.3 defensive point shares.
There’s more to his game than just staying in front of the puck. Hutton has also been a shot blocker, even if that part of his game has dipped in recent years. He has 725 career blocked shots, a number that points to a player willing to absorb damage and help clear the way for his goaltender.
He’s also shown an ability to take pucks away and turn defense into the other direction. That kind of puck-hawking ability is part of what makes him intriguing for Ottawa, especially if the Senators want a veteran on the blue line who can still make life difficult for opponents.
Of course, a PTO doesn’t guarantee anything. Hutton will have to compete with players such as Jordan Spence and Artem Zub for a spot, and Ottawa is clearly trying to get younger while adding more energy to its Stanley Cup hopes. Still, a veteran defenseman with Hutton’s track record is worth a look.
Vegas has seen this kind of situation turn into something more before, too. Tanner Pearson impressed the Golden Knights during the 2024-25 season and eventually landed a one-year deal. Hutton now gets the same sort of chance, and if Ottawa doesn’t keep him, the idea of a return home remains in play.
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