The free-agent goalie market is thin, and as a result, St. Louis Blues netminder Carter Hutton has become one of the most sought-after names.
Once the UFA interview period opened on Sunday, eight teams reportedly reached out to Hutton's camp; the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Islanders have been confirmed, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
LeBrun believes Hutton has cut the original eight clubs down to six and separated those teams into two groups: those offering him a backup position and those willing to ride him as their No. 1.
The Islanders, Sabres, and potentially the Hurricanes (who still have Scott Darling under contract) could offer starting positions, while the Blackhawks would like to have a healthy Corey Crawford between the pipes. But, after the veteran netminder missed 54 games last season due to injury, Chicago could be in the market for a serviceable backup.
Hutton is coming off his best season statistically in which he posted a record of 17-7-3 with a 2.09 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.
