Hutchinson sees opportunity in Toronto, whether with the Leafs or the Marlies

When the Maple Leafs announced the signing of Michael Hutchinson to a two-year, two-way pact last week, the move left a lot of folks scratching their heads in confusion, especially given the Aaron Dell signing having taken place earlier on in the month of October.

Obviously, the move allows the Leafs to expose Hutchinson in the expansion draft, which is of great benefit to the organization, however, with the team now carrying four [arguable] NHL-calibre netminders, someone is bound to get upset with their usage.. right? Well, according to Hutchinson, he is thrilled with the idea of coming back to Toronto, regardless of whether that means playing with the Leafs or the Marlies.

In an interview with the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby, Hutchinson stated that he understood that the Jack Campbell acquisition was a move that the Leafs simply could not pass up, thereby acknowledging that the subsequent trade that sent him to the Avs in exchange for Calle Rosen was somewhat expected.

So why, then, did Hutch choose to re-sign with the Leafs, knowing he would be in a similar situation as he was in last season, below Andersen and Campbell on the depth chart, also now trailing Aaron Dell as well? Well, according to the 30-year-old himself, there were multiple reasons.

"The bubble situation proved how important depth is," said Hutchinson. "No one knows what the landscape will look like (with the season delayed by COVID-19) and the year after. I was seeing how quickly all the seats at the goalie table were filled up. Teams were not taking the patient approach".

Another reason for Hutchinson signing his two-year deal in Toronto would was that it led to more certainty for his family, remaining in one city for the next two years, also suggesting that it could lead to improved results for himself either with the Marlies or the Leafs.

Perhaps Hutch sees the potential to find some success in his return to Toronto, or perhaps it's just a case of a 30-year-old career backup realizing that his opportunities are somewhat limited and accepting a reduced role in order to find some stability. Either way, the deal seems to be a fit for both sides.

Hutchinson did have some success with the Marlies last season, going 3-1-0, recording a 1.98 GAA and a .943 SV% in 4 starts for the Leafs' AHL affiliate. However, his stint with the big club was very forgettable.

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