Speculation: 2017 Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher may go UFA

[sureloss]

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/11/will-butcher-denver-pioneers-not-signing-with-avs/

Avalanche draft pick Will Butcher, the University of Denver senior defenseman, team captain and 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner as national player of the year, is not interested in signing an entry-level contract with the Avalanche. Not now, perhaps never.

Butcher, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent Aug. 15 if he chooses to not sign with the Avs, said he met with Colorado general manager Joe Sakic on Tuesday and told him him he’s not signing anytime soon.

“I told him I didn’t want an offer yet,†Butcher told The Denver Post. “I wanted to sit with him, talk with him about my year, what they’re thinking, what their philosophy is going to be. My parents are coming in this weekend for the banquet, and I want to talk to my parents before they offer me anything.â€

Near the end of Butcher’s junior season a year ago, the Avalanche told Butcher’s “family adviser†the team was not interested in signing him at any point. But that attitude toward Butcher was believed to have emanated from then-coach Patrick Roy, who was also the Avs’ vice president. Roy resigned in August, and the Avs had scouts or team executives at numerous DU home games this season. Assistant Avs general manager Chris MacFarland was at the Frozen Four in Chicago last weekend.

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[Cloned]

Scared off by the management circus there?

 

[Street Hawk]

That second part of the Avs telling him that they don't plan on signing him appears odd from Colorado's POV. Doesn't seem logical.

1) Was he planning on leaving school as a Junior? If no, then why make that comment?
2) Doesn't Roy have more pressing things like coaching or scouting the opposition than to be watching NCAA games with DU? That's for scouts to do isn't it? Doesn't seem like he would have been able to invest the time needed to scout the kid.

At the end, it's Butcher's decision. He can go UFA if he wants. He's still a 5'10 Dman, but he's listed as 200 lbs so he's stocky enough to hold his own. Free asset if he goes go UFA in August. Bummer for the Avs as he was a 5th round pick, so it's like found money if you get someone who can contribute even on a 3rd pair in the NHL.

 

[Zippy316]

I just love the headline from that article

"Denver star Will Butcher not signing with Avs, not now, perhaps never"

Just a total clickbait article and sounds like a title from a pessimistic Avalanche fan.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I swear you would need to actively try to be as inept at their job as the Avs front office appears to be.

It doesn't matter if you don't plan on signing him, he was coming off a good season last year. You tell him we'll talk contract after next season, and figure it out then.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

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.

 

[boredmale]

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

 

[Iracundia]

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.

Strange that Joe was so keen on signing him so quickly

 

[Big Ed]

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.

Outside of Eichel/Gaudreau the list of HB winners over the last 15 years is honestly pretty unimpressive. Mostly 4th liners/AHLers.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Strange that Joe was so keen on signing him so quickly

OF course he's going to offer the Hobey Baker winner a contract. The Avs suck and prospects are always helpful. He isn't even in the top 10 on the list of Avs top prospects though.

 

[Street Hawk]

Outside of Eichel/Gaudreau the list of HB winners over the last 15 years is honestly pretty unimpressive. Mostly 4th liners/AHLers.

Majority of time it's won by Juniors/Seniors.

The top end talent leaves for the NHL after their Freshman/Sophomore seasons.

 

[Mcnofool6110]

As long as he plans to go by the nickname Bill The Butcher, he should go straight to the Rangers. I'm down with that.

 

[tigervixxxen]

That second part of the Avs telling him that they don't plan on signing him appears odd from Colorado's POV. Doesn't seem logical.

1) Was he planning on leaving school as a Junior? If no, then why make that comment?
2) Doesn't Roy have more pressing things like coaching or scouting the opposition than to be watching NCAA games with DU? That's for scouts to do isn't it? Doesn't seem like he would have been able to invest the time needed to scout the kid.

At the end, it's Butcher's decision. He can go UFA if he wants. He's still a 5'10 Dman, but he's listed as 200 lbs so he's stocky enough to hold his own. Free asset if he goes go UFA in August. Bummer for the Avs as he was a 5th round pick, so it's like found money if you get someone who can contribute even on a 3rd pair in the NHL.

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.

I just love the headline from that article

"Denver star Will Butcher not signing with Avs, not now, perhaps never"

Just a total clickbait article and sounds like a title from a pessimistic Avalanche fan.

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

 

[tigervixxxen]

OF course he's going to offer the Hobey Baker winner a contract. The Avs suck and prospects are always helpful. He isn't even in the top 10 on the list of Avs top prospects though.

He doesn't even have a thread on the prospects board.

 

[GaryU]

Strange that Joe was so keen on signing him so quickly

After the year the Avs had, their fans could use some good news.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

He doesn't even have a thread on the prospects board.

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.

 

[Tim Vezina Thomas]

Eh. Great college player, not a high rated prospect. Worth trying to sign but won't be the end of the world if it doesn't work out.

 

[Minnesota]

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.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Outside of Eichel/Gaudreau the list of HB winners over the last 15 years is honestly pretty unimpressive. Mostly 4th liners/AHLers.

Ryan Miller is still playing, but won it outside your 15 years. He's had a solid career. And Kevin Porter has his name on the Cup as a 4th liner. Those are the highlights, with Matt Carle as a side note.

 

[strictlyrandy]

This is a clickbait article by Chambers.

Butcher wants to visit his family and go from there. Nothing earth shattering.

 

[Starat327]

Tells you more about the player than the organization. Easy for players to come in and play a bit-part role in an organization. I'd prefer the ones who like the idea of coming in to a less than ideal situation and trying to make it work.

 

[Avs44]

“He came in and gave me his whole spiel about changes in the program, going younger and everything like that. I told him I’d get back in touch with him,” Butcher said.

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.

 

[SI90]

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.

 

[SI90]

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.

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.

 

[strictlyrandy]

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.

Sakic is not an infallible gm. He's arguably the worst this team has ever seen.

I find nothing wrong with what Butcher said or what he plans to do. If Sakic insists on giving vets that have nothing in the tank priority still, Butcher absolutely should shop his wares elsewhere.