Hutton gets shot with Fronts
Petes off to Sudbury, North Bay also without Avon, McTavish, who are at World U17 Challenge
The Peterborough Petes will head north for a pair of weekend games without Dustin Hutton.
Hutton, 18, was claimed off waivers by the Kingston Frontenacs on Friday after requesting an opportunity to play more with another OHL team, said Petes GM Mike Oke.
Hutton, the Petes’ top pick in the 2018 U18 draft, dressed in five of 14 games registering two goals and two assists, with a +4 rating. He had one assist in 10 regular season games last year and one goal in five playoff games. He also had 13 goals and 28 points in 34 games with the OHL’s Toronto Jr. Canadiens.
“Dustin was looking for more of a full-time opportunity and right now, with the makeup of our team, he wasn’t going to be in every night,” Oke said.
The Petes tried to trade Hutton, but when they were unable to find a deal they put him on waivers. Oke said they would have preferred to keep Hutton, but honoured his request through his agent to be moved.
“We think highly of Dustin and we wanted to keep him as part of our group moving forward. But in talking to his agent they were really keen on being in a situation where he’d be in the lineup every night,” Oke said.
The Petes will also be missing Mason McTavish and J.R. Avon to the World U17Hockey Challenge; and defenceman Matt McNamara, who is week-toweek with a lower body injury, when they face the Sudbury Wolves on Saturday night. They also face the North Bay Battalion on Sunday and will host Hutton and the Frontenacs Tuesday night at the PMC.
Petes head coach Rob Wilson said he’ll likely dress seven defenceman and 11 forwards, with John Parker-Jones capable of playing forward.
“Mason and J.R. have done a good job and we’ll miss them,” said Wilson, “but other teams are in the same boat missing a couple. McTavish has 10 goals and Avon has done a really nice job. Both have had to play different positions. It’s been a lot to take in for two young lads, but they’ve done a good job.”
At practice, Wilson had Semyon Der-Arguchintsev between Nick Robertson and Michael Little; Zach Gallant with Liam Kirk and Cameron Butler; Max Grondin centring Brady Hinz and Tucker Robertson; and Keegan McMullen and Chad Denault with ParkerJones.
The Petes will also be without video coach Noah Bucholtz, who got an opportunity from
Hockey Canada to work at the U17 tournament.
“He’ll be a big miss,” Wilson said. “He does a phenomenal job for us. It’s a great opportunity for him and he’s earned it.” NOTES: Mason McTavish
scored in Canada White’s 4-2 opening game loss to Russia at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in Swift Current on Thursday. J.R. Avon and Peterborough’s Chase Stillman, of the Sudbury Wolves, are also on Canada White. Stillman had two penalty minutes. Their next game is Saturday against Team Canada Black.