Hutchinson’s continuing hockey odyssey

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This article was published 22/12/2023 (680 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Michael Hutchinson was hoping for a reunion that brought him back to his adopted hometown.

When things didn’t work out with the Winnipeg Jets or, by extension, the Manitoba Moose, the veteran goalie ended up signing a pro tryout offer with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. When the Detroit Red Wings lost Alex Lyon and Ville Husso to injury recently, Hutchinson signed a one-year, two-way deal and found himself backing up James Reimer at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday.

“Things happen really quick in hockey,” said Hutchinson, 33, who spent parts of five seasons with the Jets and calls Winnipeg home during the offseason with his wife Jenna, the owner of Jenna Rae Cakes, and their two children.

“It’s one of those things where you always want to play in the NHL. With the way the offseason and the start of the season went, I mentally came to grips that I probably didn’t think I was going to play in the NHL again and I was at peace with it.

“I was enjoying my time in Grand Rapids and enjoying playing hockey in the (AHL). Next thing you know, you’re back up.”

An unrestricted free agent, Hutchinson explored an opportunity with the Jets, but they ultimately brought back Laurent Brossoit to be the backup to Connor Hellebuyck and signed Colin Delia to be the No. 3 guy on the depth chart.

“I don’t think it’s a secret that I was really trying to get back to being in Winnipeg,” said Hutchinson. “I’m one of the pro hockey players that Winnipeg is No. 1 on my list every offseason. Things just didn’t work out that way. It was a long offseason of sitting around and waiting and talking to teams, having that fall through here and there.

“There was a lot of uncertainty and that was definitely different. It was a mental battle for sure. Then I got the call to come to Detroit pretty much two days before training camp and I figured, ‘Why not?’ It turned out that it was the right decision.”

Hutchinson has 153 NHL games on his resume and he guided the St. John’s IceCaps to the Calder Cup final in 2014. Originally chosen in the third round of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins, Hutchinson has carved out a solid career for himself and has done a nice job providing organizational depth while also playing a mentorship role.

He’s doing that now with Red Wings top goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa, a first round pick in 2021.

“For most players, PTS’s don’t really work out, so I didn’t come in (to Red Wings training camp) with any expectations. I’m very fortunate that it ended up working out so far,” said Hutchinson.

“The last few years, I haven’t gotten a chance to play many games consistently. Being in Grand Rapids, getting some consistent playing is nice, so I can get back to feeling comfortable with my game. Working with Cossa every single day has been awesome. He’s got a lot of talent and a lot of passion for the game, too.”

Hutchinson spent most of last season in the Vegas Golden Knights system, sharing the crease mostly with the Henderson Silver Knights, though he was recalled by the NHL but never got into any game action. When Jonathan Quick was acquired at the deadline, Hutchinson was shipped to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he appeared in 16 NHL games during the stretch run.

When the Golden Knights were celebrating the first Stanley Cup in franchise history, Hutchinson received an important call from a number he recognized.

“It was really cool to see them win. I was fortunate to be called up before I was traded and you really got to see the locker room and see how good a team they had last year,” said Hutchinson.

When they had their Stanley Cup parade, a couple of the goalies who were black aces, they FaceTimed me and I got to see a bit of the behind the scenes celebration. They were all pumped to get a chance to bring me into that a little bit.”

AROUND THE GLASS

It’s been quite a year for Thomas Milic. The reigning Western Hockey League goaltender of the year, whose resume includes winning a gold medal at the World Juniors, playing in the Memorial Cup, being drafted by the Jets and making his pro debut at both the ECHL and AHL levels, can now add another impressive feat.

He’s headed to the Spengler Cup as part of Team Canada. Fun fact: Hutchinson was part of the Canadian contingent last year.

“An experience like that is going to help him grow, going against higher competition is going to help him grow,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said Friday. “International experience, anything like that you can do for younger players, it helps.”

Milic, 20, has played in 13 games with the Norfolk Admirals, Winnipeg’s ECHL affiliate, and is 9-2-1 with a 2.44 goals-against-average and .910 save-percentage with two shutouts. He’s also made four appearances with the Manitoba Moose, going 1-1 with a 3.74 GAA and .877 save-percentage.

Among his teammates are a pair of former Jets in defencemen Nathan Beaulieu and Jordie Benn, and former Brandon Wheat Kings forward John Quenneville. The coaching staff is led by Bruce Boudreau and includes Winnipegger Jeff Tomlinson as an assistant coach and Winnipegger Kurt Keats as the manager of hockey operations.

The tournament begins Boxing Day in Switzerland.

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Speaking of Jets prospects and international events, a trio of draft picks will be skating at this year’s World Juniors. Forward Rutger McGroarty (first round, 2022) will captain the U.S. squad, while defenceman Elias Salomonsson (second round, 2022) and forward Fabian Wagner (sixth round, 2022) are members of Team Sweden.

It was thought that forward Colby Barlow (first round, 2023) and goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis (seventh round, 2022) might crack Team Canada, but the country’s deep talent pool combined with slow starts to their respective Ontario Hockey League seasons meant they were passed over.

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While we’re on the topic of goaltenders with Manitoba connections this week, how about the play of Calvin Pickard? The 31-year-old Winnipeg product has helped calm an unstable situation in Edmonton, going 2-2-0 with a 2.99 GAA and .898 save-percentage since being called up from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL.

With Jack Campbell imploding this year and sent to the minors, and Stuart Skinner’s shaky sophomore season, Pickard has emerged as an important player for an Oilers team that many picked as a Stanley Cup favourite but now will be in a battle just to make the playoffs.

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Last week in this space, we brought you “As The Central Division Turns,” a tongue-in-cheek look at the soap opera storylines swirling around many of Winnipeg’s closest rivals.

The latest episode surrounds St. Louis forward Jordan Kyrou, who became public enemy No. 1 among many Blues fans when he appeared to diss fired coach Craig Berube on his way out the door, saying “I’ve got no comment, he’s not my coach anymore.”

That led to a chorus of boos raining down on Kyrou in his next game, a development that left him apologetic and in tears. Life moves fast, and this sordid little tale has a happy ending. The next game, Kyrou had a goal and two assists in a win over the Dallas Stars, was named the game’s first star and got a standing ovation.

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On the subject of redemption, there’s no question Boston coach Jim Montgomery has written a nice story. He was fired by the Stars in the middle of the 2019-20 campaign for unprofessional conduct. Fast forward to last year, and there was Montgomery accepting the Jack Adams Award as top bench boss in the NHL after leading the Bruins to a historic regular-season.

“Three-and-a-half years ago, the Dallas Stars terminated my contract because of alcohol, and I had to change my actions and behaviours,” Montgomery said in his speech, while thanking family and friends for their support. “That’s when my new team — the most important team in my life — is what leads to the success that I live daily right now.”

You can count Bowness among those close supporters. He was an assistant to Montgomery at the time and took over the top job, leading the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final that season (in the Edmonton pandemic bubble, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning).

“He’s a really, really good coach. He really is. I give him a lot of credit for getting that all straightened out. Give him a ton of credit for that. I’m not surprised because I know he’s a great character guy,” Bowness said Friday before facing Montgomery in a head-to-head battle at Canada Life Centre.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg