The American Hockey League announced today that Rockford goaltender Carter Hutton was named the league’s Player of the Week. Yes, he is an extremely deserving candidate, but WHY am I blogging about that on the Admirals Roundtable?

Simple: It was Hutton’s fault that Milwaukee did not record a 6-point weekend, when he stopped 44 of 45 shots against Milwaukee on Saturday night. But what Hutton take-ith away, Hutton give-ith as well for the Admirals, as the Ice Hogs second-year netminder made 24-saves as Rockford knocked off Peoria on Sunday.

Beyond just the weekend Hutton has had a superb year for the pigs, posting a 15-8-3 record (including two shutouts), with a 2.50 goals against average and a .916 save percentage for what’s been a basement of the Midwest Division-dwelling Rockford team.

Before the season Hutton was on an AHL-only deal. However, with the Chicago Blackhawks goaltending situation in disarray this season, on February 24, the Hawks upgraded Hutton’s contract to a two-way deal. Considering Chicago’s issues with Corey Crawford and Ray Emery, it is conceivable that Hutton could be given a shot at some point with the Blackhawks.

But at the present time Milwaukee needs to figure out the former UMass-Lowell product, or face a spring without playoffs. Four of the Admirals’ next 11 games come against Rockford, and five of the last 19 (and in case you didn’t notice, Milwaukee has a home-and-home with Rockford this weekend). Milwaukee has lost four games in a row in the season series–all with Hutton in between the pipes for the Ice Hogs.

So Roundtable . . . How can Milwaukee Solve Carter Hutton? Are you secretly hoping Chicago will recall Hutton, or are the Admirals due for another six-goal output against the second-year Rockford goaltender?