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Capitals top prospect named NCAA rookie of the year
Photo credit: Boston University Athletics
The prestigious honor is awarded annually to the top freshman in college hockey-and Hutson's standout season with Boston University made him a clear choice.
Capitals prospect Cole Hutson was named the winner of the 2025 Tim Taylor Award on Friday evening, earning the title of NCAA men's ice hockey Rookie of the Year.
Chris Cerullo of RMNB writes that Cole Hutson is the sixth winner of the award from Boston University, the last being Macklin Celebrini in 2024.
"The 18 past winners include plenty of successful NHL players, including Celebrini, Adam Fantilli, Clayton Keller, Kyle Connor, and Jack Eichel." -Cerullo
Hutson takes home the Tim Taylor Award with one game still left on his schedule-Saturday night's national championship. After leading Boston University to a 3-1 win over Penn State in the Frozen Four on Thursday, Hutson and the Terriers will now battle Western Michigan for the NCAA title, capping off an already remarkable freshman campaign.
Here's what Hutson had to say during his acceptance speech.
«What an honor it is to be selected for this award. First things off, I want to thank the Hockey Commissioners Association, my teammates, my family, and everybody else who helped me along the way. I got a chance to play in a national title game tomorrow, and I couldn't do it without everyone who helped me along the way, so thank you.» -Hutson
Cole Hutson has been nothing short of dominant in his freshman season, racking up seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in just three NCAA Tournament games for Boston University. Across 38 games this season, he's totaled 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists), leading all NCAA freshmen in scoring by five points and holding a staggering 22-point lead over the next closest freshman defenseman. His offensive impact from the blue line has been a major factor in BU's run to the national championship game.
"The honors didn't stop there for Hutson, though, as he was also named to the NCAA's First-Team All America East. He was joined by fellow Washington Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard on the six-man team." -Cerullo
Hutson was the only freshman named among the 24 players selected to the East and West First and Second All-American Teams, a testament to just how impactful and exceptional his debut season has been.
His inclusion highlights not only his standout individual play, but also how rare it is for a first-year player to earn such recognition.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 11 | 21 ANSWERS Capitals top prospect named NCAA rookie of the year Will Capitals prospect Cole Hutson win the NCAA National Championship on Saturday? | ||
| yes | 16 | 76.2 % |
| no | 5 | 23.8 % |
| List of polls | ||