Speculation: 2017 Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher may go UFA

[Makar Goes Fast]

chambers has such a stiffy over du hockey its quite disturbing. I really hope colorado doesn't sign him just as a huge f u to chambers however i hope he is signed just because colorado needs all the help they can get.

 

[belair]

The Hobey Baker title will make people mock the Avs over this but the fact is that Will Butcher isn't THAT great. An undersized defenseman who can't skate is never really going to become much.

Skating can be improved.

IIRC the Avs were critical of Kyle Wood's skating as well.

It also should be noted I can't find any scouting reports online that criticise his skating. Just this one that compliments it.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/08/07/tsp-colorado-avalanche-prospects-3/

Will Butcher finished up his third season at the University of Denver. He exploded offensively, with nine goals and 32 points in 39 games.

Skating

Butcher is quick skater. He has excellent speed in both directions. He also has very good acceleration. Butcher has very good agility and edge work. This allows him to cover a lot of ice. It also makes him tough to beat one-on-one. Butcher will need to add more core strength and improve his balance. This will help him to win battles in the corners and in front of the net.

Offensive Game

Butcher has very good vision and the ability to thread the needle on passes both to start the transition game and in setting up plays in the offensive zone. He also has a good shot, and understands how to get it through to the net and keep it low to create opportunities for tip-ins and rebounds for his teammates. He has good agility and walks the line well to open up passing and shooting lanes in the offensive zone. Butcher also shows poise with the puck and can stickhandle away from a forechecker, or to create space in the offensive zone.

Defensive Game

While Butcher is a little undersized, and can be overpowered in the defensive zone, he works hard to avoid this making him a defensive liability. He has good positioning and a quick stick to try and avoid these situations. He also transitions the puck out of the defensive zone quickly, avoiding getting pinned in there for long periods of time. Butcher has strong positioning and effectively cuts down passing lanes.

Outlook

Expect to see Butcher back at the University of Denver for at least one more season, where he will continue to bulk up before looking at going to the professional ranks.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I would've thought it was a 100% certain he would sign there. He was a star at Denver and is already familiar with the area. He won a national championship and the Hobey Baker there. The Avs need defense so he could have a shot at playing and making the top6 fairly quickly.

He can only sign an ELC so I can't see him using this UFA loophole as leverage unless he wants 1st round money. But the AVS would surely give it to him.

He wouldn't be in Denver, he'd be in San Antonio. Avs don't really give out promises either.

I thought they should push to get him in the last game of the year to burn a year and get him signed as their only leverage but oh well. Would have cut short his partying but cash money, ya know.

 

[Iracundia]

It's his right but I agree with you. The tone seems to be " I'm a superstar already". Again context is everything so who knows.

I think the tone is "You guys said you were never going to offer me a contact, fine. I'll play out my final year and pick my own team."

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Watch him sign with the Rangers.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Watch him sign with the Rangers.

Hope he enjoys Hartford for the entirety of his ELC.

 

[North]

I think the tone is "You guys said you were never going to offer me a contact, fine. I'll play out my final year and pick my own team."

This. They told him they weren't going to sign him and now they want to. He has every right to be salty.

 

[Cassano]

Avs threw in Wood in a deal for Boedker and Wood has been killing it as a first yr pro, looking like a legitimate prospect. Wouldn't really put much claim in who Sakic and co. were hesitant to sign. Poor pro scouting group there.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Avs threw in Wood in a deal for Boedker and Wood has been killing it as a first yr pro, looking like a legitimate prospect. Wouldn't really put much claim in who Sakic and co. were hesitant to sign. Poor pro scouting group there.

Well technically that's good scouting, just morons at asset management.

 

[belair]

Well technically that's good scouting, just morons at asset management.

Wasn't he drafted prior to Sakic getting hired?

 

[BeersHockey]

That quote really rubs me the wrong way. You're talking to Joe Sakic, dismissing his pitch to sign with his club as just his "spiel," as if Sakic's just wasting Butcher's time and Butcher has better things to do, seems pretty disrespectful in my view.

You can tell from my profile pic that I am no Avs fan. I agree with this post completely.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Meh. If he signs with the Avs that's great. If not I really dont think I'll care at all. We already have an undersized Offensive thinking Dman on the team in Barrie and we most certainly cannot open another spot on Defense for another one long term.


Even if we did sign him, he'd still be behind Meloche, Bigras, Mironov, and Lindholm in the depth charts as well as obviously Barrie, Zadorov, and EJ along with whatever Dman we get back in the Duchene trade this summer.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

You'd think he'd be chomping at the bit to play for a team where he could make the team out of camp next year and get minutes and an nhl pay cheque. The Avs are thin on defenders, maybe more so than any other team. I doubt many teams will guarantee him minutes but he'll have his suitors.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

I can see him signing with Las Vegas honestly.

Great headlines for Las Vegas, great money and opportunities for Butcher.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

You'd think he'd be chomping at the bit to play for a team where he could make the team out of camp next year and get minutes and an nhl pay cheque. The Avs are thin on defenders, maybe more so than any other team. I doubt many teams will guarantee him minutes but he'll have his suitors.

This isn't really true. Avs actually dont have a lot of room in our Defense for next season.


3/4 of our Top 4 spots are filled(Zadorov, Barrie, EJ) plus we'll be getting another NHL Top 4D back in whatever Duchene trade we make. Strong rumors of Andrei Mironov coming over to join the team last year and between Mironov, Barbeiro, Lindholm, and Bigras as well as potentially Beauchemin still being here the Avs will actually be pretty full and have a heavy amount of competition for the final couple of spots next year. Butcher likely doesn't beat out anybody for those final spots.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

This isn't really true. Avs actually dont have a lot of room in our Defense for next season.


3/4 of our Top 4 spots are filled(Zadorov, Barrie, EJ) plus we'll be getting another NHL Top 4D back in whatever Duchene trade we make. Strong rumors of Andrei Mironov coming over to join the team last year and between Mironov, Barbeiro, Lindholm, and Bigras as well as potentially Beauchemin still being here the Avs will actually be pretty full and have a heavy amount of competition for the final couple of spots next year. Butcher likely doesn't beat out anybody for those final spots.

I hope Mironov comes over. Very high on him.

And I agree, the Avs have a lot coming up, and Butcher might Not want to take the risk of being lost in the shuffle.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

This isn't really true. Avs actually dont have a lot of room in our Defense for next season.


3/4 of our Top 4 spots are filled(Zadorov, Barrie, EJ) plus we'll be getting another NHL Top 4D back in whatever Duchene trade we make. Strong rumors of Andrei Mironov coming over to join the team last year and between Mironov, Barbeiro, Lindholm, and Bigras as well as potentially Beauchemin still being here the Avs will actually be pretty full and have a heavy amount of competition for the final couple of spots next year. Butcher likely doesn't beat out anybody for those final spots.

You don't think he'd have a shot as the #6? If what you're saying is true, maybe that's why he signs elsewhere. Seems like a lot of these college free agents go to whoever guarantees them playing time now, with the thought of getting to cash in, in a few years.

 

[dredeye]

Couple things for context. Chambers is the NCAA obsessed hack who the Denver Post employs and can't even complete basic tasks on a regular basis like spelling names correctly so the majority of the fanbase doesn't trust him to discern between "we aren't offering you now" and "we aren't offering you ever".

Two, yes it sounds pretty stupid to tell a prospect no thanks when he could still go out and win the Hobey Baker! but more and more it's come out that Roy had this type of influence. He let it be known what type of players he likes (undersized isn't it) and which prospects he cared for and didn't. Butcher was a favorite of the head scout he fired and so on. So I do think it's plausible that the Avs FO is indeed that stupid.

Even though the Avs are midget friendly now it still is tough to see Butcher fitting into their plans on D so I get if he wants to look for other opportunities. I don't like the NCAA system however and never will.



It's classic Mike Chambers. His line last year was the Avs were "shunning" Butcher.

College draft pics always scare for this exact scenario. They can outlast their control staying in college and becoming free agents. The new cba needs to add a year to players that stay the full cycle in college. I can't imagine owners like this little loophole

 

[phlocky]

No comment on the Avs not him snubbing them after what Roy said (and personally, I agree with Roy) but honestly, I don't see this kid as EVER being a name anyone remembers as an NHL player.

Oh, some team may throw money at him and make him promises but it'll backfire on them and be a waste of money and a contact. He really isn't that good.

If you are getting excited about your team signing a "POTENTIALLY" #6 Dman and you NEED him that badly then I feel sorry for you. My Flyers had arguably the worst defense in the league last year but we have prospects coming that would put this kid in the press box in less than a year

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

The Rangers will take him. Need all the help they can get with prospects.

He should sign with Vegas though

 

[tigervixxxen]

Wasn't he drafted prior to Sakic getting hired?

No, Sakic was there. It's the same FO before, during and after anyway.

You don't think he'd have a shot as the #6? If what you're saying is true, maybe that's why he signs elsewhere. Seems like a lot of these college free agents go to whoever guarantees them playing time now, with the thought of getting to cash in, in a few years.

No, that's not the way they work. Avs are extremely slow moving guys up. Butcher is going to need pro seasoning too, I don't think he's NHL ready.

 

[Luger]

Guess the Rangers get another prospect.

 

[Dabeast]

He can reunite with Henrik Borgstrom a couple years down the line if he signs with Florida

 

[howkie]

Jets can sign him as Tobys replecment. I bet he is better then most of our third pair options... Poolman-Butcher not bad....

 

[varano]

The next awful demanding college player who thinks hes mcdavid