Michael Hutchinson Signs With Winnipeg Jets

With rumors swirling around that James Reimer could be heading to the Winnipeg Jets, the Jets decided to lock up goaltending prospect Michael Hutchinson while they still have him. Hutchinson is coming off a crazy season which saw him go from the ECHL, to the American Hockey League and the NHL and concluded with a run to the Calder Cup finals. The goaltender has proved he has game and as a result the Winnipeg Jets locked him up for 2 years.

The first year will be a two-way deal and Hutchinson will likely spend most of his time in the AHL, but by the end of the second year he could be seeing some time in the NHL with the Jets. The Jets signed the 2008 third round pick last season and are now wanting him to compete for the back-up role with the team and lead the AHL team should he not crack the NHL. He will be battling for Al Montoya’s job after he signed as a free agent with the Florida Panthers.

He played in 3 games with the Jets towards the end of last season and won 2 of them, however his stellar play truly comes from his time in the AH where. 17-5-1 with a 2.30 goals against average and .923 save percentage in 24 games with the IceCaps during the regular season. In the post season he only elevated his game going 12-9 with a 1.95 goals against average and .938 save percentage in 21 games.

After being cut lose by the Boston Bruins, Michael Hutchinson has found a home in Winnipeg and looks to show them he’s more than capable of filling the back-up shoes and perhaps one day holding down the crease. Hutchinson is a goaltender who does his best work when the cards are down, he thrives under pressure and will turn into a reliable goaltender in the not too distant future.