Will Butcher off to a hot start

[BlueBaron]

Not sure how this turned into a Leaf thread...we rebuilt, we did not tank. Highest last place team in ages. If we were tanking Bozak and JVR would have been gone. Yes we got rid of 2 bad contracts in Kessel and Dion but we could have done a lot more to be worse.

Loving Butcher's play. I would not be too critical of Avs fans take on him. A change in system and coaching can make all the difference.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

Already better signing than Vesey

 

[BomaLightDevils]

Already better signing than Vesey

Who is Vesey

 

[Kamiccolo]

No they just traded away good players and would run with bad vets instead of good prospects cause they were trying to win

Examples? Or should they have ruined Nylander by getting exposed on a bad team vs letting him develop his game on a good Marlies team? Who did they trade away that was good? Kessel? Please go on, after HF told the Leafs they'd never win without trading him.. .Phaneuf is a camp dump.. Really interesting in this take.

Anything to discredit success...

 

[Breakers]

He didn't play this way for the Pioneers.


I thought he would be in the NHL, but I didn't think he would have this kind of success

 

[Hasbro]

I want to smack Sakic.

 

[Flameshomer]

Intense mismanagement in Avalanche country!

 

[VoidCreature]

Off to the hottest start of any rookie defenseman in team history.

Points through the first 16,

1. Butcher - 13
2. Severson - 8
2. Rafalski - 8
2. Gelinas - 8
5. Niedermayer - 7

In fact, if you look at all rookie defensemen through the first 16 in the last 30 years, he's 6th.

1. Werenkski - 14
1. Shattenkirk - 14
1. Malakhov - 14
1. Leetch - 14
1. Blake - 14
6. Butcher - 13

He also may have the highest points/60 of any rookie defenseman (among those who played at least 10 games) in the recorded history of the NHL right now.

NHL.com - Stats

 

[El Travo]

I want to smack Sakic.

Blame Roy for telling him they weren't interested.

 

[Hasbro]

Blame Roy for telling him they weren't interested.

Sakic had a year to tell Butch it was all Roy.

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

Kerfoot has been pretty solid for the Avs, so let's not be too disappointed Colorado fans.

While not an official *trade*, it was effectively, a fair hockey talent swap

 

[El Travo]

Sakic had a year to tell Butch it was all Roy.

If it were that easy to appease everyone, nobody would leave any team as a UFA.

 

[izzy]

yeah sucks but avs got kerfoot who has been great

avs wouldnt have been able to give butcher these types of minutes and opportunities anyway so it all worked out

 

[Emperoreddy]

Kerfoot has been pretty solid for the Avs, so let's not be too disappointed Colorado fans.

While not an official *trade*, it was effectively, a fair hockey talent swap

Pretty much my take on the whole situation. Devils wouldn’t have been able to give Kerfoot the minutes and situations he is getting in Colorado either.

 

[Puckstop40]

Butch is a good player and seems to be thriving in NJ. Kerfoot has been awesome so far for us so it's not too bad not seeing Butch not playing for the Avs.

 

[strictlyrandy]

Why are Avs fans sad over losing Butcher? He needs sheltered heavily and is a pp specialist that loads up on secondary assists (not a bad thing, we just didn't need a pp qb). He's extremely smart, but his poor skating and bad defensive play aren't what the Avs needed.

Glad NJ gave him a home, but Avs got forward depth they needed in Kerfoot who has become a fan favorite and leads the team in goals.

 

[BahlDeep]

Why are Avs fans sad over losing Butcher? He needs sheltered heavily and is a pp specialist that loads up on secondary assists (not a bad thing, we just didn't need a pp qb). He's extremely smart, but his poor skating and bad defensive play aren't what the Avs needed.

Glad NJ gave him a home, but Avs got forward depth they needed in Kerfoot who has become a fan favorite and leads the team in goals.

He isn't bad defensively

 

[NjDevsRR]

Why are Avs fans sad over losing Butcher? He needs sheltered heavily and is a pp specialist that loads up on secondary assists. He's extremely smart, but his poor skating and bad defensive play aren't what the Avs needed.

Glad NJ gave him a home, but Avs got forward depth they needed in Kerfoot who has become a fan favorite and leads the team in goals.

Lmao. You obviously haven’t been watching the games. The kid has been impressive defensively so far. Rarely out of position, great stick work, strong on the walls, great transition. He has been good in every facet. He actually deserves more minutes and tougher assignments. They will slowly ease him in to those situations.

 

[strictlyrandy]

He isn't bad defensively

Maybe against 4th lines. Put him against top competition routinely and you're gonna have a bad time.

Butcher hasn't miraculously become something he's never been. He needs sheltered (not a bad thing considering he's a pp specialist and not a 5v5 stalwart). He's extremely valuable to teams that need a pp qb. He's not a guy you want outside of your bottom pairing 5v5 though. He'll get exposed pretty badly.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Maybe against 4th lines. Put him against top competition routinely and you're gonna have a bad time.

Butcher hasn't miraculously become something he's never been. He needs sheltered (not a bad thing considering he's a pp specialist and not a 5v5 stalwart). He's extremely valuable to teams that need a pp qb. He's not a guy you want outside of your bottom pairing 5v5 though. He'll get exposed pretty badly.

I haven’t seem him make one bad play in the dzone yet.

 

[Peanut]

Why are Avs fans sad over losing Butcher? He needs sheltered heavily and is a pp specialist that loads up on secondary assists (not a bad thing, we just didn't need a pp qb). He's extremely smart, but his poor skating and bad defensive play aren't what the Avs needed.

Glad NJ gave him a home, but Avs got forward depth they needed in Kerfoot who has become a fan favorite and leads the team in goals.

Ahh the old myth he’s good offensively so he must be bad defensively haha

 

[strictlyrandy]

Lmao. You obviously haven’t been watching the games. The kid has been impressive defensively so far. Rarely out of position, great stick work, strong on the walls, great transition. He has been good in every facet. He actually deserves more minutes and tougher assignments. They will slowly ease him in to those situations.

I watched him for years....

He's not the guy you want getting heavy minutes. Keep him sheltered and load him up on pp time. You'll be thrilled. Load him up against top lines and his warts will show.

He's a fine player. He's just not what the Avs needed.

 

[Foppberg]

Good luck to him, but we have such a log jam on D I doubt he would've put up those numbers with us.

In a way it's a good trade for both, Kerfoot for Butcher. Both are playing much better than either club thought they would have.

 

[BahlDeep]

Maybe against 4th lines. Put him against top competition routinely and you're gonna have a bad time.

Butcher hasn't miraculously become something he's never been. He needs sheltered (not a bad thing considering he's a pp specialist and not a 5v5 stalwart). He's extremely valuable to teams that need a pp qb. He's not a guy you want outside of your bottom pairing 5v5 though. He'll get exposed pretty badly.

How many games did you watch him play this year?