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Hutchinson signed a contract to play in the KHL in 2011-12. The defenseman best known for his time with Carolina scored seven goals and 36 points in 54 contests with the Baby Penguins last season. He added an assist in five games with Pittsburgh.
The 30-year-old defenseman signed with Pittsburgh in July to serve as organizational depth. Hutchinson has put up decent fantasy numbers in the AHL but hasn't been able to replicate them at the NHL -- something that doesn't figure to change in 2010-11.
Acquired in late November from Tampa Bay, Hutchinson was in the Dallas lineup most nights. He figures to fill a similar role in 2009-10, getting 12-15 minutes a night as a third pair blueliner and offers little in terms of fantasy value.
Hutch is a talented offensive defender with serious sleeper tendencies this season. He should make the big squad but wait until the later rounds to nab him. After all, the Bolts have offensive-minded guys like Matt Carle, Paul Ranger and Andrej Meszaros ahead of him. But he could surprise as a PP specialist.
Time is on Hutchinson's side; he is just 26, and did not endure the long playoff stretch, as he was a healthy scratch for all four playoff series. He has a chance to produce some offensive numbers from the blue line. A decent sleeper candidate if he makes the opening night roster.
Hutchinson is an intriguing young player who will likely develop into an above-average offensive defenseman, but that will likely take a while. He has only 18 NHL games under his belt, and will probably require a bit of seasoning before he's a valuable fantasy asset.