Speculation: 2017 Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher may go UFA

[SenzZen]

I legit just went to look to see if his prospects board thread had as many posts as this thread did and realized what you just concluded in my journey lol.

Maybe that's how the conversation with Sakic went down.

Joe: I've been reading HFBoards (where I go for all my information), and it appears that not only are our fans not overhyping you- they haven't even acknowledged your existence...

Butcher: *gulp*

 

[Ivan13]

If he actually said that he can take a hike.

 

[nbwingsfan]

These college free agents so rarely workout that who cares. Just look at the insane hype Vesey got all summer, all for a whopping 27 points.

 

[Dr Quincy]

zing!

I hate this loop hole : After the abysmal season the Avs had I think just to avoid the negative PR it would be a good move to sign the 2017 HB winner from the University of Denver

It's not a loop hole, and both sides have a right to not sign a player to a contract. Teams draft players then walk away after 2 years without ever having offered a contract because they have better players available for their 50 spots. If owners have the right to not offer a draft pick a contract, than draftees have the right to no sign a contract that's offered to them.

It's amazing how some fans only get upset when 1 side to a contract elect to use their collectively bargained rights.

 

[DaveG]

Something doesn't add up... Or something got miscommunicated. Why would they draft him if they weren't interested in signing him? Even potentially?

Organizations don't tell prospects that kind of stuff indefinitely. Burning bridges before they're even built? Seems fishy.

He was drafted in the offseason that Roy became the head coach. I'd have to imagine the scouts still followed through on their draft plans that draft.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

He is a lot better then what they have in the organization. They don't have many capable blue liners in the organization. Anyone with a mind knows this.

Well this is quite wrong. Put it this way. If Butcher had been signed this year he would have spent most of the year (if not all of it) in the ECHL.

 

[Street Hawk]

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

I don't see that happening.

The players at the greatest risk for a team are those picks from round 3 onwards because they generally take a bit longer to develop their game. Usually, they break out in year 3 (Vesey).

Only adjustment I could see the NHL doing is requiring a team that signs a guy who completes their NCAA eligibility and goes UFA, to owe the original drafting team a pick in the same round that the player was originally selected in.

So, a team would owe the Avs a 5th round pick. Nashville would get a 3rd for Vesey (which they ultimately got from Buffalo).

 

[cwede]

I don't see that happening.

The players at the greatest risk for a team are those picks from round 3 onwards because they generally take a bit longer to develop their game. Usually, they break out in year 3 (Vesey).

Only adjustment I could see the NHL doing is requiring a team that signs a guy who completes their NCAA eligibility and goes UFA, to owe the original drafting team a pick in the same round that the player was originally selected in.

So, a team would owe the Avs a 5th round pick. Nashville would get a 3rd for Vesey (which they ultimately got from Buffalo).

extend the drafting team's rights to Nov 1st,
makes spurning the drafting team a much harder riskier decision

 

[ForsbergForever]

If I was Sakic I would tell the kid to do whatever makes him happy, table an offer appropriate to a low-level over-age prospect and then go back to pondering how to turn Duchene into a top 4 d-man...

 

[TML1967]

Where did you see or make up this nonsense?

Article 9.4 of the CBA spells out Minor League compensation for ELCs. Minimum of 35,000 (or min AHL salary if that goes up). Maximum of 70,000.

No team can offer more than 70k to play in the AHL, and almost all ELC's are at or atleast close to the max.

Thanks for the clairification!
I swear I heard on sports radio (Sports/TSN) this idea as a way big market teams could easily keep their bottom 6 guys coming cheap. Might have just been talking about overseas guys/ people you can sign to 2 way contracts who knows!

 

[AKL]

Something doesn't add up... Or something got miscommunicated. Why would they draft him if they weren't interested in signing him? Even potentially?

Organizations don't tell prospects that kind of stuff indefinitely. Burning bridges before they're even built? Seems fishy.

 

[keppel146]

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.

Did you watch Denver or any college hockey this year?

Come to Chicago please

**** he is a Wisco boy...you either love or hate Chicago.

 

[mouser]

For some perspective, here's a complete list of the players who won the Hobey Baker in their senior year:

2016-17 Will Butcher F Sr. Denver
2015-16 Jimmy Vesey F Sr. Harvard
2012-13 Drew LeBlanc F Sr. St. Cloud State
2011-12 Jack Connolly F Sr. Minnesota-Duluth
2010-11 Andy Miele F Sr. Miami
2009-10 Blake Geoffrion F Sr. Wisconsin
2008-09 Matt Gilroy D Sr. Boston University
2007-08 Kevin Porter F Sr. Michigan
2003-04 Junior Lessard F Sr. Minnesota-Duluth
2001-02 Jordan Leopold D Sr. Minnesota
1999-00 Mike Mottau D Sr. Boston College
1998-99 Jason Krog F Sr. New Hampshire
1997-98 Chris Drury F Sr. Boston University
1996-97 Brendan Morrison F Sr. Michigan
1995-96 Brian Bonin F Sr. Minnesota
1994-95 Brian Holzinger F Sr. Bowling Green
1993-94 Chris Marinucci F Sr. Minnesota-Duluth
1991-92 Scott Pellerin F Sr. Maine
1990-91 David Emma F Sr. Boston College
1989-90 Kip Miller F Sr. Michigan State
1988-89 Lane MacDonald F Sr. Harvard
1985-86 Scott Fusco F Sr. Harvard
1983-84 Tom Kurvers D Sr. Minnesota-Duluth
1982-83 Mark Fusco D Sr. Harvard
1981-82 George McPhee F Sr. Bowling Green

 

[Plub]

I love it. They told him they had no interest and he's returning that right back at them. What's with Sakic and his "no intention to sign" babble? Same thing he told Wood who did quite well in the AHL this year.

 

[tucker3434]

I love it. They told him they had no interest and he's returning that right back at them. What's with Sakic and his "no intention to sign" babble? Same thing he told Wood who did quite well in the AHL this year.

If you saw it on the internet, it must be true.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Any word on where he signs? I haven't heard a thing about him which is crazy because he seems like he should be a highly sought after UFA.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Any word on where he signs? I haven't heard a thing about him which is crazy because he seems like he should be a highly sought after UFA.

Colorado or Detroit, probably.

 

[mcpw]

Any word on where he signs? I haven't heard a thing about him which is crazy because he seems like he should be a highly sought after UFA.

He will only be a UFA on August 15th. He can't even negotiate with teams yet.

 

[Sparksrus3]

Not a Rangers fan .
Of course he signs with the Rangers.
Hate the freaken Rangers .

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Colorado or Detroit, probably.

I doubt he signs with Colorado if he goes to UFA

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

He wont sign with Colorado. We dont even have a need for him at this point.


He's be ridiculously far down our depth charts on Defense, and we have significantly better Puck moving/Offensive Dmen in the system then him as well.


It makes sense for him to go somewhere without a Strong Defense pool. New Jersey would make sense.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

For that reason I don't see him signing with the Rangers. After adding DeAngelo, Pionk, Bereglazov, Smith (ext) and Shattenkirk, we have too many players ahead of him on the depth chart.

 

[cwede]

Rangers, they seem to get all the big name college UFAs

NYR already signed the other ncaa desired and talented ufa RD, Pionk from Duluth
And Pedrie from Penn State. And berrglazov from khl.
And Sean Day and Zborovsky turning pro from CHL
And just added young RD DAngelo

So I would guess Butcher's team to prefer a less crowded path to NHL
I'd expect NYR to target a F, maybe a C, on August 15

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I doubt he signs with Colorado if he goes to UFA

Detroit, at least. They're crazy on acquiring college hockey players.

 

[tony d]

First I've heard of him. Still as others have said these NCAA guys are miss more often than not so I don't know how sought after he would be.