Acquired on December 29th from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a conditional 5th round pick in the 2020 draft, Hutchinson has spent the bulk of tenure in Toronto thus far filling the starter’s role down on the Marlies. It’s a role he’s suited quite well to this point, too.
In 23 games with Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the 29-year-old netminder holds a sterling 14-5-1 record to go along with a .910 save percentage and two shutouts, effectively gifting the Marlies with the net-centric stability the team so glaringly lacked up until his arrival.
News of a call-up, however, still came entirely out of left field.