Cole Hutson pretty much texts Ryan Leonard ‘every day,’ will be super excited and nervous to join Capitals ‘if I’m lucky enough’
Cole Hutson is the top defense prospect in the Washington Capitals’ system and arguably the entire NHL. The 19-year-old blueliner is playing his sophomore season at Boston University after the Caps selected him in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
At the end of the 2025-26 campaign, Hutson will have a decision to make regarding his future, as the Capitals will likely offer him a three-year, entry-level contract. If he were to sign, he’d forego the rest of his college eligibility and immediately turn pro in the club’s organization.
Hutson has previously indicated he is in no rush to cut his college career short, but recently discussed the prospect of doing so to join the Capitals in an exclusive interview with RG’s Marco D’Amico.
“If I’m lucky enough to get to that point, signing and joining Washington, I’ll be super excited but probably super nervous too,” Hutson told D’Amico. “That’s when I’m playing my best, when I’ve got the most nerves and swagger.”
In 18 games this season at BU, Hutson has recorded 20 points (7g, 13a), leading the No. 19-ranked Terriers. He is one of BU’s alternate captains and should be in the running for the Hobey Baker Award, presented to the nation’s top player at the end of the year.
As an 18-year-old defenseman last year, Hutson finished with 48 points (14g, 34a) in 39 games, leading all freshmen in scoring. He was named the 2025 Tim Taylor Award winner as NCAA Rookie of the Year.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Hutson also starred in a gold-medal-winning effort with Team USA at the 2025 World Juniors, where he was teammates with fellow Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard. Hutson and Leonard have stayed in contact this season despite the latter moving on to the NHL with the Capitals.
“Me and him text pretty much every day,” Hutson said. “We’re pretty close off the ice. I checked in when he got hurt, and he gives me an inside scoop on what the pro life is like.”
Hutson also revealed that Leonard isn’t the only member of the Caps who tries to keep in touch with him, as other members of the team’s roster and their management staff are in near constant communication.
“Players on the team just randomly text sometimes to check in,” Hutson said. “Someone from the staff or players reaches out every day or every other day. It shows the kind of organization they’ve built. It’s a lot of pressure, but good pressure. They trust you not to let the culture dip. That’s really cool and super exciting.”
The Capitals went through a similar process with Leonard the past two seasons. After rebuffing their efforts to sign him after his freshman year at Boston College, Leonard joined the Capitals after his sophomore season, featuring in 17 combined regular-season and playoff games at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
General manager Chris Patrick commented on the similarity after Capitals Development Camp this past summer and sounded undeterred by Hutson’s assertion that he would be okay with staying at BU until he deems himself ready to make the jump.
“It feels like Leonard part two here,” Patrick said. “We’ll kind of give him space. I know he’s got some goals this year for what he wants to do at BU. And then once his season’s done, we’ll put the push on.”
The Capitals seem to highly value Hutson and consider him a major part of their future. That high valuation may have even shut down recent trade discussions with the Vancouver Canucks for star Quinn Hughes, as the Canucks are believed to have insisted on his inclusion in any deal.
