Capitals Prospect Cole Hutson Back With Team USA & Out Of Hospital, 'Day To Day' After Being Struck In Back Of Head With Shot

The Capitals prospect was taken off the ice on a stretcher.

Washington Capitals prospect Cole Hutson has been discharged from an area hospital and is back with the team after taking a shot to the back of the head and being stretchered off the ice during Saturday’s World Juniors game between Team USA and Team Switzerland in Minnesota.

Hutson is officially listed as “day to day,” per USA Hockey.

Hutson was skating in front of the net when a point shot from Gian Meier struck the blueliner in the back of the head. He went down and lay on the ice for several minutes as medics attended to him, bringing out the backboard and stretcher.

As first reported by NHL brodacaster Jon Morosi, Hutson was “conscious and alert” and communicating with captain Brodie Ziemer as he was taken off the ice. Before being immobilized, he was moving his extremities.

The 19-year-old was leading the Americans in ice time and, the night before, had two assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-5 in Team USA’s tournament-opening win over Team Germany.

Hutson, the Capitals’ second-round pick in 2024, is in the midst of his sophomore season with Boston University and is one of the Americans’ captains for this year’s WJC.