Encouraging injury update for the Capitals' top prospect

Thursday brought the update everyone wanted, Hutson was a full participant in the U.S. practice ahead of Friday's knockout game. After the scary scene earlier in the tournament, even a normal skate felt like a big deal.

Hutson has missed two games since he was taken off the ice on a stretcher during the Switzerland matchup Saturday. He told NHL.com he's feeling better, but wanted to be sure he's truly ready before jumping back in.

On the ice, the reason is obvious, he's the kind of defender who turns a harmless retrieval into an instant rush chance. He walks the blue line calmly, sells the shot, then snaps a pass through the seam to start chaos.

As a Caps fan, I'll admit it, just seeing him run drills again eases the whole stomach knot.

For more from the reporter who had the practice details, here's Mike G. Morreale's feed.

Hutson, 19, is Washington's 43rd overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft, and his Boston University season has backed up the hype. He's sitting on 20 points in 18 games, seven goals and 13 assists, and those are defenseman numbers that jump off the page.

Morreale noted Hutson worked the point on the first power play unit and took regular rushes with Adam Kleber at practice. If he's healthy enough to handle those reps, it also means Team USA can play faster through the neutral zone, with cleaner exits and sharper entries.

Friday's opponent is the hard part, Finland doesn't give you freebies between the blue lines. This game will turn on discipline, puck support, and whether Hutson can help the U.S. keep the puck in the offensive end long enough to tilt the ice, and keep the gold-medal chase alive.