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

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

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

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United States defenseman Cole Hutson (44) is taken disconnected nan crystal aft sustaining an wounded during nan 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 nan hospital, backmost pinch nan team, and is ‘day-to-day,’" Team USA said.

"We’re thankful for nan interest of everyone and nan attraction that he received."

Team USA caput coach Bob Motzko opened up astir nan business aft nan game.

"It was a scary situation, nary question," he said, via ESPN. "It's a very adjacent group of guys, and they responded. It knocks you back. The building was silent. But nan bully news is that he was released and is backmost pinch us."

United States defenseman Cole Hutson, bottom, is looked astatine by aesculapian unit aft sustaining an wounded arsenic members of nan United States squad look connected during nan 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 nan 2nd information of nan 2024 NHL Draft by nan Washington Capitals. He’s 1 of 4 Terriers to correspond nan red, achromatic and bluish connected nan crystal successful nan World Junior Championships.

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

Basile Sansonnens scored Switzerland’s lone goal.

Switzerland guardant Robin Antenen, left, skates pinch nan puck arsenic United States defenseman Cole Hutson (44) defends during nan 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. will play Slovakia connected Monday, while Switzerland will take connected Germany connected Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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