The perception surrounding Ben Hutton hasn’t been this positive since his rookie season.



The 25-year-old defenceman worked hard to lean out in the summer, is back as a regular in the lineup playing in a top-4 role and was set to match his career high in points before a recent foot injury.



But there’s a lot more than meets the eye with Hutton and it reveals critical indicators applying not only to this season, but his entire career that would suggest he’s not as effective as the narrative might lead one to believe.



Fortunately, this doesn’t have to framed or taken as a negative finding and can actually be used to the Canucks’ advantage.



You see, exploring inefficiencies isn’t just about finding undervalued players. Smart teams sell high on players whose perceived value exceeds their actual on-ice contributions and the Canucks have an opportunity to do exactly that with Hutton.



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