Have the Nashville Predators found their backup goalie to Pekka Rinne? Today they announced the signing of Carter Hutton, an undrafted netminder who played one game for the Chicago Blackhawks last season (a 3-1 loss to St. Louis on April 23rd). With a two-way contract in place, if things don’t work out they could send him down to Milwaukee without breaking the bank.
The Preds’ press release follows:
Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed goaltender Carter Hutton to a one-year, two-way contract worth $550,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.
Hutton, 27 (12/19/85), appeared in one game for the 2013 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks and 51 games for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs in 2012-13, posting a 26-22-1 record, a 2.72 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and a pair of shutouts. In 2011-12, the Thunder Bay, Ont., native was named Rockford’s most valuable player after tying a team record with .917 save percentage and setting a club mark with a 2.35 goals-against average. Since turning pro at the completion of his collegiate career in 2009-10, the 6-1, 195-pound netminder has appeared in 120 games for Adirondack, Worcester and Rockford, posting a 60-44-7 record, a .902 save percentage, 2.64 goals-against average and seven shutouts.
Undrafted, Hutton starred at UMass-Lowell from 2006-10, posting a 32-41-10 record, a 2.33 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 85 games. He was named a Hockey East Second-Team All-Star in 2009-10 and Bauer Goaltender Champion after ranking third among NCAA goaltenders in save percentage (.928) and fourth goals-against average (2.04).
Hutton is on Twitter @CarterHutton.