No one at the 2025 World Juniors recorded more points than Team USA blueliner Cole Hutson.
The Capitals draft pick finished the tournament with 11 points (3g, 8a) in seven games to become the first defenseman in World Juniors history to top the scoring leaderboard. The 18-year-old rearguard tallied two points (1g, 1a) against Finland in the gold medal game to earn the distinction.
Cole Hutson has become the first defenceman in #WorldJuniors history to outright lead the tournament in points! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/pNLEGGzwFE
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2025
Hutson’s goal in the final was Team USA’s biggest during regulation as the marker tied the game 3-3 with 29 seconds remaining in the second period.
After receiving a drop pass from fellow Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard, Hutson cut into the middle of the ice, deked around a defender’s check, and fired a pinpoint wrister by goaltender Petteri Rimpinen.
“[Hutson is] very dynamic,” head coach David Carle told The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler postgame. “I mean, great plays, attacking. We asked him to kind of rein it in a little bit even. In the first couple games, him and [Zeev Buium] just a little too much at times, and our balance on the ice wasn’t what it needed to be.
“Those guys kind of picked their spots better, and at the end of the day, it didn’t take anything away from them offensively. It actually enhanced it. So, really proud of him, and I mean, there’s not much else you can say about him as a player. World class, vision, the shot. There’s just so much. Everything that he does is exceptional.”
Hutson’s 11 points are also the most any Team USA defender has ever scored at the tournament. Past names to man the backend for the USA at a World Juniors include Zach Werenski, John Carlson, Kevin Shattenkirk, Chris Chelios, Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Phil Housley, Luke Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Seth Jones, Brian Leetch, Charlie McAvoy, and Brian Rafalski.
Cole, as an 18-year-old, even outpaced his brother Lane’s six points (6 assists) in seven games as a 19-year-old last year. Lane Hutson is one of the most highly-touted young players in the NHL this year and is playing 22:34 average time on ice per game for the Montreal Canadiens in his rookie season.
The whole Hutson family, including Lane, were in attendance to watch Cole bring home another gold.
Hutson played 24:33 of ice time in the final against Finland. He was also named to the tournament’s media all-star team.
Tournament All-Star Team, as voted by the media:
G: Petteri Rimpinen
D: Cole Hutson (WSH)
D: Axel Sandin Pellikka (DET)
F: Ryan Leonard (WSH)
F: Jakub Stancl (STL)
F: Gabe Perreault (NYR)— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) January 6, 2025
