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BU hockey’s Cole Hutson avoids major injury after taking puck to back of head
"I wasn't really a hockey player in that moment."
Boston University sophomore defenseman Cole Hutson seemingly dodged a bullet after suffering a scary injury on Saturday at the World Junior Championship in St. Paul, Minn.
During Team USA’s eventual 2-1 win over Switzerland, Hutson was struck in the back of the head by a puck and needed to be stretchered off the ice.
Despite the optics of the skilled blueliner needing to be taken straight to the hospital, Team USA announced late on Saturday that Hutson was discharged from the hospital that night and was ruled as “day-to-day” moving forward during the annual tournament.
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Hutson was not cleared to play for Monday’s Team USA matchup against Slovakia, but could draw back into the lineup later this week.
“It was a scary situation, no question,” Team USA coach Bob Motzko told reporters after Saturday’s win. “It’s a very close group of guys, and they responded. It knocks you back. The building was silent. But the good news is that he was released and is back with us.”
Hutson’s status is a welcome development considering the somber sight that played out on the ice Saturday night.
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After a puck rose up and stuck Hutson midway through the second period, Team USA’s trainer staff treated him as his teammates surrounded him at a quiet Grand Casino Arena.
Fellow Team USA forward and BU teammate Cole Eiserman dropped to a knee and held Hutson’s hand as he received treatment on the frozen sheet.
“I wasn’t really a hockey player in that moment,” Eiserman, a Newburyport native, told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. “He went down and I was just asking him if he was alright. You could just tell by his face and everything that he was shocked, so I just wanted to grab his hand, make sure he knew I was there.
“Once he kind of got back to life a little bit, I told him to squeeze, and he could squeeze, so I could breathe a little bit and that made me feel better and made the guys feel better around us.”
Beyond their years spent with the Terriers and Team USA, both Hutson and Eiserman have been friends for close to a decade.
“[Eiserman and Hutson] are teammates for a long time now, at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and now at Boston University and that’s what teammates do,” Motzko told Morreale. “[Eiserman] wasn’t on the ice [at the time Hutson was hit by the puck] but he crawled over the boards and got out there to help his teammate.
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“I know that [photo] has been everywhere and it tells the whole story. I don’t think I need to add to it. You can tell how close and tight they are.”
Hutson’s potential return would be a major lift for Team USA moving forward.
Hutson became the first defenseman to lead World Juniors in points (three goals, eight assists) to help Team USA win gold in 2025, and took home national rookie of the year honors after posting 48 points in 39 games with BU in 2024-25.
A second-round pick by the Capitals (No. 43 overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, Hutson has 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 18 games so far this season with BU.
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