Jack St. Ivany Sets Up Cole Hutson Twice as Capitals Extend Win Streak
St. Ivany assisted on both of Hutson’s goals in a 4-3 win over Nashville, giving Washington a three-game streak and an early boost to its defensive depth.
Jack St. Ivany’s first two games with Washington have given the Capitals an immediate return on their waiver claim: four assists, a new connection with rookie Cole Hutson and a 4-3 win over Nashville that extended the club’s winning streak to three games. Two games make a small sample, but the early fit has already mattered on the scoreboard.
St. Ivany assisted on both of Hutson’s goals against the Predators. It was his second consecutive game with two assists, and the timing has helped Washington turn a short-term roster fix into a productive pairing. Hutson praised the newcomer after the game, saying, “He’s been unbelievable,” and pointing to St. Ivany’s ability to “kill plays quick and make us transition quick…” Hutson’s postgame comments capture the value Washington appears to be getting: defensive stops that can become offense before the opposition has time to reset.
A quick fit beside Hutson
That transition element is a useful complement for a young defenseman. Hutson’s two goals supplied the finishing, while St. Ivany’s work helped the Capitals turn possession changes into chances. The two assists don’t establish a long-term pattern on their own, and Washington has only seen the pair together for a brief stretch. Still, the first returns are clear: St. Ivany has contributed directly to Hutson’s scoring in back-to-back games.
Washington claimed St. Ivany off waivers from Winnipeg less than a week before the Nashville game. The move filled a gap after defenseman Vincent Desharnais had his appendix removed. Coach Spencer Carbery and his staff had to choose how to cover the absence, with Justin Holl available in Hershey and 22-year-old prospect Ryan Chesley another possible option. Holl had scored twice in two games during an earlier call-up while Matt Roy was on injured reserve, as a previous Capitals report noted.
The claim also drew on familiarity. Carbery had coached in Hershey when St. Ivany played for Wilkes-Barre, giving the Capitals’ coach a point of reference as the club assessed a defenseman available on waivers. That background doesn’t guarantee a fit at NHL pace, but Washington’s early results suggest the staff saw a player whose habits could work in its system. The pairing with Hutson has supplied the most visible evidence so far.
Depth could matter later
St. Ivany’s emergence gives Washington another option as it manages a defense group that has faced absences. The article identifies five right-shot defensemen among the club’s roster and injured list: Roy, Desharnais, Timothy Liljegren, St. Ivany and Dylan McIlrath. Holl and Chesley are in Hershey. When Desharnais returns and Rasmus Sandin is fully recovered, the Capitals expect to have nine viable defensemen in the mix.
That is potential depth, not a settled lineup. Injuries and availability can change the picture, and the source provides no timetable for Desharnais’ return or Sandin’s recovery. For now, St. Ivany’s place in the group is reinforced by production rather than projection. If he keeps handling defensive plays and moving the puck quickly, Washington can have more flexibility when it decides how to deploy its blue line.
The extra options may also shape the club’s choices as the March trade deadline approaches. General manager Chris Patrick could have a right-shot defenseman available as part of a deal if the organization decides to pursue a roster addition. That possibility depends on how the group performs and who is healthy; the current stretch alone doesn’t establish that Washington will make a trade. It does give the club another player to evaluate before making that call.
The Capitals’ next chance to extend their run comes Sunday afternoon against Minnesota. St. Ivany’s start is encouraging, and Hutson’s scoring has made their early connection easy to see. The meaningful test now is whether the defenseman can keep contributing as opponents adjust and the roster changes around him. Washington has its three-game streak; St. Ivany has made the waiver claim look like a timely addition.
Carbery’s prior familiarity with St. Ivany adds context to the decision, but the next games will supply the harder evidence. If the pair continues to turn stops into quick exits and chances, Washington gains both a working defensive combination and more options across its depth chart. For a team balancing immediate results with the longer season ahead, that’s a useful early return from a move made to cover an absence.
It remains a two-game start, with plenty of hockey ahead for the newest Capital. The Capitals can build on the Nashville result Sunday, while St. Ivany gets another opportunity to show that his first few shifts beside Hutson were the beginning of a dependable fit.
