Sorry, Caps fans. Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson apparently won’t be living together this season.
Hutson revealed the news at the first day of Washington Capitals Rookie Camp in Annapolis, MD.
Asked if he ended up getting an apartment with the star winger for the 2026-27 season, Hutson shot down the idea quickly, denying us of this decade’s version of Tom Wilson and Michael Latta.
“No, no, no,” he said on Sunday. “I don’t think it’s happening.”
Hutson and Leonard floated the idea of living together last spring. Pierre-Luc Dubois, who had been hosting Hutson at his house since the Boston University product signed late last season, revealed the pair’s arrangement during Capitals Breakdown Day.
“I think he’s going to live with Leno next year,” Dubois told reporters in April. “I think that’s what their plan is for now. [Hutson] is a pretty good cook, so maybe he could teach Leno a thing or two.”
He added that he found Hutson “super nice, polite, respectful” off the ice.
The news of their possible union was received well by Wilson, who praised the idea — well, after some jokes.
“I think they’ll have a blast together if they do that,” Wilson said. “We’ll have to keep an eye on them for sure, make sure they take care of themselves, stock the fridge, and don’t play too much video games and all that, but they’re good kids. They’ll be all right.”
Hutson, for his part, was initially intrigued about the possibility and seemed eager to live with one of his best friends.
“We’ll see how the year plays out, but yeah, I’d love to,” Hutson said. “I know he asked me a few weeks ago, and I said, ‘I gotta make the team first.’ I’m not opposed to it, for sure.”
Hutson and Leonard’s friendship dates back to their teenage years, when they first played together with the U.S. National Team Development Program before later reuniting with Team USA at the World Junior Championship. They eventually became college rivals at Boston University and Boston College, but the rivalry never got in the way of their relationship off the ice.
“I would text Leno pretty much every day,” Hutson said. “We’re pretty close off the ice. So we’d always reach out to one another, just talking about life and whatnot.”
Leonard was also the first person to reach out after Hutson signed with Washington, and the two spent time together during Hutson’s first afternoon in DC. Once they were reunited in the Capitals organization, they routinely played Fortnite together away from the rink.
Their friendship has spilled over into plenty of other off-ice moments, too. The pair filmed a coffee review together in Salt Lake City for TikTok, and Hutson even said Leonard’s presence could influence whether he accepted an invitation to play for Team USA at the 2026 World Championship.
“If Ryan’s going, I’d definitely be open to it,” Hutson said.
The pair is sure to have some fun moments in their first full NHL season together, just sadly not in a shared living room.
