NY Islanders place defenseman Grant Hutton on waivers ahead of NHL roster freeze

The New York Islanders placed defenseman Grant Hutton on waivers on Wednesday, according to Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The move comes before the NHL Holiday roster freeze, which starts on Dec. 19 and runs through Dec. 27. Hutton has two assists in 12 games this season but was a healthy scratch for the last three games. Since Adam Pelech’s return to the lineup, Hutton has been the team’s eighth defenseman. Isaiah George and Dennis Cholowski are expected to rotate as the team’s sixth defenseman, and Mike Reilly is recovering from his heart procedure.

Hutton, who made his NHL debut in the first game at UBS Arena on Nov. 20, 2021, played 16 games during the 2021-22 season, averaging 14:11 TOI, and two games last season when the Islanders battled injuries on their blueline in November. “I’ve been around this organization for a long time and I’ve gotten a taste of what the NHL is like,” Hutton said in the New York Post in October. “I’ve said it before, but once you get that taste, it’s hard to imagine it any other way. I’m happy to be here.”

The 29-year-old has become a reliable and serviceable depth piece for the organization and has focused on consistency since training camp. Hutton's presence in Bridgeport is also important for the young defensive group at the AHL level.

The move signals a few things, including that the organization believes the 20-year-old George will benefit from staying in the NHL, even if he is splitting opportunities with Cholowski after playing 19 straight games to start his NHL career. Also, freeing up a roster spot was necessary for Anthony Duclair to be activated off LTIR on Saturday night versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. Duclair has been medically cleared, and the coaching staff has been waiting for him to consider himself 100% before getting back in the lineup. Also, Pierre Engvall could stick around with the team having Reilly and goaltender Semyon Varlamov on LTIR, creating salary cap flexibility.