Former Maple Leafs Goaltender's NHL Career Hangs in the Balance After Failing to Sign PTO

With the start of the 2024-25 NHL regular season in about a week, teams are preparing to make some big roster decisions. Several players will be released or reassigned during training camp, which is now in full swing, as teams begin to finalize their rosters. This is one of the most important parts of the year when you have players on the bubble, say, goaltenders competing for a backup role, and seeing their futures hang in the balance. Among them is Michael Hutchinson, a veteran goaltender looking to remain in the NHL and a one-time Toronto Maple Leaf..
 
The 32-year-old Michael Hutchinson signed a PTO with the New Jersey Devils during the offseason after he spent parts of four seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2018-19 to 2021-22. The 34-year-old journeyman was hoping he could win a roster spot, but with his age and experience, the veteran netminder certainly didn't have a guaranteed future in the NHL. His career spanning just 154 NHL games, Hutchinson has more often than not been a backup in the league, with the window available to cement himself as a regular on an NHL team closing fast for the 34-year-old.

The closer training camps get to regular season kickoff, the more teams focus on paring their roster rather than building one. In the last few days leading up to the season, especially, that's true. At this point, Michael Hutchinson could still lock in a deal with any of the other NHL teams. But to be frank, the chances are slim that this would happen in time for the start of the year. Perhaps his best chance at this point comes from being on a team's radar in the event of goaltending injuries during the season. This puts him in a waiting game, with hopes that an opportunity will pop up when a team is desperate for an experienced backup later in the season.

Michael Hutchinson's career statistics give proof of his journey being a struggle in the NHL. With a career record of 57-62-18, a save percentage of .903, and a GAA of 2.93, his numbers are good but not excellent. At his most recent NHL outing, in one game last season with the Detroit Red Wings, he boasted an impressive .917 save %. This season, in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, it was less than impressive as he was able to put up a 14-14-3 record and a less-than-whopping .892 save % in 32 appearances. These numbers, along with his age, could make teams leery of offering a roster spot to him.

Michael Hutchinson is an experienced goaltender, though the NHL future does remain cloudy. Even in tough situations, Hutchinson can stand in as a backup that may turn him into an asset to a team, especially the ones facing injury challenges. Realistically, though, his current situation stipulates he may need to wait for a break, possibly sitting on the sidelines until later in the season when an opportunity arises.