Cole Hutson is one of the top prospects in all of hockey and is headed back to college for his sophomore season at Boston University. The 2024 second-round pick of the Washington Capitals made it to the 2025 National Championship game with the Terriers and is heading back to school to try to avenge the team’s loss to Western Michigan.

The 19-year-old defender will be eligible to sign an entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals after the season. However, he stated on Saturday at the end of Caps Development Camp that there is no guarantee he’ll be ready to do so next spring.

“Obviously, big reason I’m going back for school, I want to win a national championship,” Hutson said. “I want to graduate school, make my mom happy. I’m in no rush to go any place. You can’t get worse playing college hockey. Just going to enjoy the moment. If it’s two or three more years, I’m perfectly fine with that. So, just going to have fun and hopefully win maybe one or two national championships.”

Hutson finished his first year at BU as the top freshman in the nation, winning the 2025 Tim Taylor Award as NCAA Rookie of the Year and being the only freshman out of the 24 players selected to the East/West First and Second-Teams. He posted 48 points (14g, 34a) in 39 games, six more points than the next-best freshman and 22 more points than the next-best freshman defenseman.

While his sights seem firmly set on the NCAA for now, he admitted that it was exciting to be at his second development camp, building bonds with guys he could one day share a Capitals locker room with. He’s also previously shared the current Caps players he is most excited to one day play with, so his future with the team doesn’t sound uncertain.

“Yeah, I think it’s really cool, obviously, being here with draft picks and free agents,” Hutson said. “We have no idea who’s going to be a teammate in the future, and just building relationships before, hopefully, you make it to the pros. It’s good to get to know guys, build connections, and hopefully become teammates with them.”

Hutson’s 3-on-3 team won this year’s tournament at the camp, and he scored two goals in the championship victory against an opposition team that featured the highly talented Andrew Cristall. His performance throughout the five-day camp turned heads among the top Capitals brass.

“Yeah, I thought he was excellent,” general manager Chris Patrick said. “I thought he was at a different level. He certainly seems like a guy that is ready for the next step.”

The Capitals went through a similar process with top prospect Ryan Leonard last season. Leonard delivered 49 points (30g, 19a) in 37 games for Boston College during his sophomore season and then signed with the Caps once the Eagles were eliminated in the NCAA tournament.

Patrick sounded undeterred by Hutson’s assertion that he would be okay with playing longer in college than Leonard did.

“It feels like Leonard part two here,” Patrick said. “We’ll kind of give him space. I know he’s got some goals this year for what he wants to do at BU. And then once his season’s done, we’ll put the push on.”

“What I saw there this week, which really impressed me, was that we all know the skill and the skating ability, the stuff he does with Wendy, it looks easy for him. That’s not easy stuff,” Patrick added. “But to me, what I was impressed by was his competitiveness. Not just in that 3-on-3, but if he did a drill, he didn’t like the way he did it, he’s firing pucks down the other end of the ice. He wants everything to be perfect all the time. That kind of drive is a good trait to have for a guy that wants to be an NHLer.”

Hutson’s older brother, Lane Hutson, played just two seasons at BU before signing with the Montreal Canadiens. The 21-year-old rearguard won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year this past season, recording 66 points (6g, 60a) in 82 games.

Cole watched his brother take on the Capitals during the playoffs, wearing a Canadiens ugly Christmas sweater. He met with Caps head coach Spencer Carbery after Game 3 at the Bell Centre.

Hutson will also be eligible to play in the 2026 World Juniors for Team USA after winning gold last January at his first tournament and becoming the first defenseman in World Juniors history to lead in points. He could win back-to-back golds and then end the year signing with the Caps, just like Leonard did.

As you enjoy the holiday weekend of summer sun, we at TOC thought you may need a little ice break to cool off. With the NHL draft completed, let’s take a look at current and future Spartans that were drafted as well as some other news around Munn.

Speaking of the NHL draft, MSU became one of only 4 schools to have a player drafted in the NFL, NHL, and NBA 2025 drafts. Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin were the other schools, making it a B1G exclusive club. Way to go, MSU athletes.

MSU had two future players drafted in the first round. Ryker Lee is an incoming freshman forward who was drafted No. 26 by the Nashville Predators. Mason West was drafted No. 29 by the Chicago Blackhawks who traded up to get the forward. West will be joining the Spartans for the 26-27 season. He’s a dual athlete who is also a quarterback and was recruited by some smaller D1 schools to play football. The bigger coup is that MSU took him right out of Minnesota to play hockey which has many Gopher fans upset.

Drafted No. 45 in round two was Eric Nilson, center. He just committed last month and has an NHL pedigree as he hopes to follow his father’s 10 year NHL career. Nilson will be playing for MSU this fall and was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks.

At No. 48, current Spartan Shane Vansaghi was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers. We may be seeing Shane reunite on the ice one day with Karsen Dorwart who made his NHL debut with Philly in late March.

2026-27 incoming defenseman Brady Peddle went no. 91 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The final draft pick was Max Heise, a forward who will also be in East Lansing for the 26-27 season. He went at pick no. 150 to the San Jose Sharks.

There are a lot of NHL draft picks on the current and future rosters that just goes to prove that MSU Hockey is brewing something special for some years to come.

In some other hockey news, Gavin McKenna, everyone’s top pick in next year’s NHL Draft, visited East Lansing on Monday. He was in Happy Valley on Sunday and people have speculated that PSU is the favorite to land the generational talent. People should not be sleeping on Sparty. I think MSU has a real solid chance to land McKenna as MSU is locked and loaded for a run next season and McKenna could very well be a one and done. Pairing up with Lindstrom (who was his teammate with the Medicine Hat Tigers), Howard, and Augustine may just be too good to pass up. Not to mention, being coached by Nightingale and learning the team is greater than the individual may all be too enticing for the most growth and success to come out of one season. His decision could come over the weekend, so stay tuned.

Lastly, I want to congratulate former Spartan, Duncan Keith on his election to the NHL Hall of Fame. This writer here is a huge Blackhawks guy. Jeremy Roenick, Tony Amonte, Chris Chelios and Eddie Belfour were my hockey heroes growing up. So of course, I watched a lot of Blackhawk hockey during their title runs in the 2010’s. Duncan Keith was an essential part of those title runs. Showtime Patrick Kane and the consistent leadership of Jonathan Toews are what many will remember from those runs. Those cups would never be raised in Chicago without Keith and Seabrook defending. Keith was crazy durable, could lead a beautiful stretch pass, push the blue line and get back and play physical. Congrats to you! I love seeing the MSU to Chicago line continue with Levshunov and now West. Of course I’m still pulling for that trade with Tampa or for Howard to not sign and join the Hawks. I mean, I can dream right?

Enjoy the holiday weekend, stay cool, let’s sign McKenna, and Go Green!