Cole Hutson will soon be wearing Team USA’s red, white, and blue again after securing a gold medal this year at the 2025 World Juniors.
USA Hockey announced Wednesday afternoon that Hutson was one of five players added to their roster for the senior men’s World Championship taking place in May. Hutson, returning for his sophomore year at Boston University next year, is one of just three players on the 23-man roster not to have turned pro yet, joining Michigan State’s Isaac Howard and Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky.
Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark, are co-hosting this year’s tournament.
Hutson wrapped up his outstanding freshman campaign with the Terriers earlier this month with a 6-2 loss to Western Michigan in the national title game. The 18-year-old defenseman ended his first season in the NCAA with 48 points (14g, 34a) from 39 games, leading all freshmen in scoring.
The 2024 second-round pick of the Washington Capitals was also named the 2025 Tim Taylor Award winner as NCAA Rookie of the Year.
At the World Juniors earlier this year, Hutson became the first defenseman to ever lead the tournament in scoring. He recorded 11 points (3g, 8a) in seven games, including two points (1g, 1a) against Finland in the gold medal game to earn the distinction.
Hutson and the rest of Team USA will seek to become just the second set of Americans to win a standalone World Championship tournament, with their only other win coming in 1933. The team’s training camp is set to begin on May 2 in Dusseldorf, Germany, and they’ll play their lone pre-tourney game in Germany on May 4.
NHL All-Stars like Matty Beniers (Seattle), Clayton Keller (Utah), Jeremy Swayman (Boston), and Tage Thompson (Buffalo) have already been selected for the roster. Last year’s American team, with Capitals winger Ryan Leonard on their roster, finished fifth after a quarter-finals loss to Czechia.
Team USA officially opens their tournament in Herning against co-host Denmark on May 9. NHL Network will air all of the team’s games.
