Panthers Loan G Hutchinson to T-Birds
SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the Panthers have loaned goaltender Michael Hutchinson to the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Hutchinson, 28, registered a 1.85 goals against average and .957 save percentage in his debut with Springfield on Oct. 6 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, making 44 saves on 46 shots.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound native of Barrie, Ontario, split the 2017-18 season between the Winnipeg Jets and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. With Winnipeg he owned a 2-1-0 record, 3.26 goals against average and .907 save percentage.
With Manitoba, Hutchinson made 26 appearances, registering a 17-5-4 record and two shutouts. His .935 save percentage and 2.08 goals against average ranked him second and third in the AHL, respectively. Hutchinson played in the 2018 AHL All-Star Game and was named to the 2017-18 AHL Second All-Star Team.
He has played in 106 career NHL games with Winnipeg and Florida, posting a 44-40-13 record, 2.70 goals against average, .907 save percentage and three shutouts.
Hutchinson was originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the third round (77th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft.
The Thunderbirds continue a three-game road trip on Friday, Nov. 9 when they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop at the PPL Center. Springfield then travels to take on the Hershey Bears for a 7:00 p.m. start on Saturday, Nov. 10, their first matchup with the Bears this season.
Springfield Thunderbirds fans are encouraged to visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com to learn more about 2018-19 Thunderbirds Season Ticket Memberships. Packages include a wide range of benefits, including the lowest prices for the 2019 Lexus AHL All-Star Classic presented by MGM Springfield. For more information or to order now, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.