The man tipped odds-on to be the first managerial casualty of 2007/8 has bright hopes.
As well as the departure of former boss Paul Jewell at the end of last term, players including Lee McCulloch, Arjan De Zeeuw, Matt Jackson and David Unsworth have also moved on to pastures new.
In their place Hutchings has drafted in Jason Koumas, Carlo Nash, Andreas Granqvist, Mario Melchiot, Antoine Sibierski and Titus Bramble but he feels the team spirit which has served the club so well in the past will not be lost.
Hutchings: "It's always hard coming into a new club, especially if you don't know any of the other players.
"But one of the things that has always been true of my time at Wigan is that the team has bonded well and thrived on being closely-knit.
"Team spirit will always be something which makes a difference here, and I know that the new guys have been welcomed into the group.
"Titus is a player I'm sure will do well at this club. It is a new challenge he probably needs, and I think he will become a crowd favourite."