Team USA hockey defenseman leaves World Juniors game on stretcher after being struck by puck

Team USA defenseman Cole Hutson suffered a large wounded scare connected Saturday nighttime during the World Junior Championships against Switzerland.

Hutson took a puck to the backmost of the caput successful the 2nd period. He was stretchered disconnected the crystal and didn’t instrumentality to the game. Team USA said aboriginal that Hutson was retired of the infirmary and considered day-to-day.

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United States defenseman Cole Hutson (44) is taken disconnected the crystal aft sustaining an wounded during the 2nd play of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship crippled against Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, successful St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

"Hutson is retired of the hospital, backmost with the team, and is ‘day-to-day,’" Team USA said.

"We’re thankful for the interest of everyone and the attraction that helium received."

Team USA caput manager Bob Motzko opened up astir the concern aft the game.

"It was a scary situation, nary question," helium said, via ESPN. "It's a precise adjacent radical of guys, and they responded. It knocks you back. The gathering was silent. But the bully quality is that helium was released and is backmost with us."

United States defenseman Cole Hutson, bottom, is looked astatine by aesculapian unit aft sustaining an wounded arsenic members of the United States squad look connected during the 2nd play of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship crippled against Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, successful St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

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Hutson is simply a defenseman for Boston University. He was selected successful the 2nd circular of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals. He’s 1 of 4 Terriers to correspond the red, achromatic and bluish connected the crystal successful the World Junior Championships.

Brodie Ziemer and Will Zellers scored the goals for the Americans successful the 2-1 triumph successful their preliminary circular matchup against the Swiss.

Basile Sansonnens scored Switzerland’s lone goal.

Switzerland guardant Robin Antenen, left, skates with the puck arsenic United States defenseman Cole Hutson (44) defends during the 2nd play of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, successful St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

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The U.S. volition play Slovakia connected Monday, portion Switzerland volition instrumentality connected Germany connected Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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