Published by hockeybuzz.com, 8-31-2018
Carter Hutton
32 yrs. old
6'1" 202 lbs.
Undrafted FA (PHI)
Career stats: 138 games | 63-39-17 record | 2.42 GAA | .915 Sv% | 11 shutouts
If the Buffalo Sabres want to make the playoffs this season a lot will be riding on the shoulders of their goalkeepers. Sabres GM Jason Botterill entered the 2018 off season needing to fill both his vacant goalie slots and after saying that 25 yr. old rookie Linus Ullmark would be on the roster Botterill proceeded to sign free agent Carter Hutton to a 3yr./$8.25 million free agent contract on July 1. The former St. Louis Blue was coming off of a career year posting a 17-7-3 record with a 2.09 goals-against average and .931 save percentage.
Although their roles will be figured out through camp and into the season, it's hard to think that Hutton will be that 60-game workhorse starter in Buffalo when his 34 starts in 2013-14 represents his career-high. In fact the Thunder Bay, Ontario native has a grand total of only 80 starts in the four seasons since, but with Botterill in a bit of a bind this off season a Hutton/Ullmark 1A/1B goaltending tandem is what Buffalo enters training camp with.
When you look at Hutton's excellent numbers in St. Louis it's best to remember that the Blues were a veteran club with a very strong d-corps that was also supported by their forward group. They had the sixth-best goals-against last average season, have the third-best cumulative GAA (2.49) over the past five seasons and their system has helped have changed the narrative from back-up to potential starter when talking about goalies like Hutton and Brian Elliot. As a premier two-way team, St. Louis was also 14th in the league in cumulative goals-for over the last five seasons averaging 2.81 goals/game.
This off season has been great for the Sabres and there's an excitement in Buffalo that's definitely warranted. The team landed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin with the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and Botterill pulled off a couple of solid trades to shore up a big hole on the left side. Conor Sheary and Jeff Skinner, along with Dahlin, should help provide an offensive spark but the Sabres still have a long way to go just to get to respectability. In the last five seasons Buffalo has allowed the third-most goals-against in the league (3.01) and have averaged a league-worst 2.19 goals/game.
That's what Hutton and a bevy of new Sabres are up against this season.
With all the question marks concerning Hutton as a starter (or 1A) for a franchise that has the worst record in the NHL over the last seven seasons, character doesn't seem be one of them. Botterill is very keen to the character trait and a number of his charges within the organization have seen Hutton up close. Buffalo's director of college scouting Jerry Forton was an assistant coach at UMASS-Lowell when Hutton was playing there. Sabres goalie coach Andrew Allen was in the same position when Hutton made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks. And Buffalo head coach Phil Housley was an assistant coach in Nashville throughout Hutton's three-year stint with the Predators.
At 32 yrs. old and starting a career when most are into their decline, Hutton likes the opportunity the Sabres are giving him but also knows his role. He'll have the chance to be the No. 1 goalie in Buffalo but he also is being tasked with mentoring Ullmark, who's saying goodbye to the AHL after being the No. 1 goalie in Rochester the last two seasons. “What we’ve learned about Carter," said Botterill, "is he has the confidence in the No. 1 role and also has a history of working with young goalies. We think it’s a great fit."
That last part bodes extremely well for the Sabres organizationally as Hutton on a three-year deal represents a bridge to the future. It's not a given that Ullmark will be their future No. 1 goalie and the next best prospect is 19 yr. old Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen a 2017 second round pick (54th-overall.)
Twenty-two year old Jonas Johanson (2014, 61st) has stumbled thus far at the North American pro level and he may not take the next step. Three years gives the organization enough time to figure out who fits where moving forward.
As for this season, there's a lot going on with a lot of new faces hitting the ice and Buffalo's goaltenders will probably be carrying a heavy load, at least at the start. Most see the Sabres as improved but falling short of the playoffs which is very reasonable at this point but if Hutton (and Ullmark) can solidify the crease?
You never know.
Building the 2018-19 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Conor Sheary / C, Jack Eichel / RW, Sam Reinhart
LHD, Marco Scandella / RHD, Rasmus Ristolainen
G, Carter Hutton
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