Capitals Select Defensemen Cole Hutson, Leon Muggli In Second Round

LAS VEGAS — The Washington Capitals have taken two defensemen to open the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, taking defenseman Cole Hutson with the 43rd overall pick and defender Leon Muggli with the 52nd pick.

Washington moved up in the second round in order to draft Hutson, trading fourth line forward Beck Malenstyn to the Buffalo Sabres.

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Hutson, who is committed to Boston University, shined with 51 points in 51 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program, and had 12 points in 19 USHL games with the program.

The 5-foot-10, 159-pound blueliner is a left-hand shot who packs a lot of promise. He's an excellent passer and dominates at 1-on-1 battles. He is strong in his own zone, but he's a puck mover who can make things happen on the ice.

Hutson said the biggest part of his game is his offensive ability. He can play big minutes and thrive on the power play. He is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens rising star Lane Hutson.

Related: Capitals Take Terik Parascak With 17th Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft

It marks the first defenseman that D.C. took in this draft after the team selected In this year’s draft after the team went for right wing Terik Parascak in the first round.

A few picks later, Washington took Muggli, adding a solid two-way defenseman to the mix.

Muggli’s biggest asset is his skating, high hockey IQ and awareness. He makes smart decision and almost always does the right thing in the defensive zone.

The 6-foot, 176-pound blueliner had 12 points in 43 games in the National League with EV Zug this past season.