News: Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher Confirmed to test UFA market August 16

[cwede]

Rangers. They have had the inside track on a lot of the hyped college kids the last few years.

maybe not
NYR already signed Pionk, the other highly respected RD UFA coming out of NCAA this year
(and Pedrie from PSU, Bereglazov of KHL, got 21-tear old DeAngelo from 'Yotes, and are promoting 2 D from Major junior)

 

[bigdog16]

Rangers. They have had the inside track on a lot of the hyped college kids the last few years.

Makes no sense for him to sign with the Rangers though. Definitely no room for him in NY, and he'd be battling for a top 4 spot in Hartford

 

[Avsblitzkrieg]

Whatever the reason butcher didn't wanna sign is all on him. Roy isn't here, let the honey Baker man do what he wants. I was thankful for the du team this year. He has a couple pretty big holes.

 

[Foppa]

Butcher had a highly decorated college career and represented the USA in fine fashion at the WJCs (two times IIRC) but the NHL is a league about projecting the future not rewarding the past. And in that sense, Butcher doesn't fit a classically projectable mold to the top level. There's a reason despite not winning the Hobey Baker that college FA defenders that signed like Neal Pionk and Gavin Bayreuther are considered superior NHL prospects.

That said, still sucks to lose an asset for nothing and he's definitely worth a flier at no cost for some team.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Rangers. They have had the inside track on a lot of the hyped college kids the last few years.

Yup. You're right.

Spencer Foo, Cal Petersen, Mike Rielly, Drak Caggiul, Troy Stecher.


All great signings by the Rangers the last couple of years.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Scouting Will Butcher

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2017/07/26/scouting-will-butcher-college-free-agent/

 

[Numbers]

Butcher's agent Bartlett told Vancouver reporter Rick Dhaliwal today:
"If Jim Benning calls on the 15th, we would be very interested to see what he has to say."

“We are looking for opportunity and there is certainly opportunity in Vancouver, we will see how they stack up.â€

 

[Canucks LB]

Van just makes way 2 much sense

 

[joestevens29]

Butcher's agent Bartlett told Vancouver reporter Rick Dhaliwal today:
"If Jim Benning calls on the 15th, we would be very interested to see what he has to say."

“We are looking for opportunity and there is certainly opportunity in Vancouver, we will see how they stack up.Ââ€

I just don't know that opportunity should be the end all for these guys.

In the end it worked out for Schultz, but the guy wanted opportunity and a chance to hit it big on contract 2. Instead he ended up with 4 years of misery.

These guys need to be open. Accept the fact that maybe you are going to end up in the PB or in the AHL. They should be looking at who is good at developing more so than anything. In Butcher's case why wouldn't NSH be on the top of his list? Might be in tough to get a full-time gig, but at least you know they can develop guys. They also have UFA's coming up year after year, so the opportunity will be there "IF" he proves he can play.

 

[Numbers]

I just don't know that opportunity should be the end all for these guys.

In the end it worked out for Schultz, but the guy wanted opportunity and a chance to hit it big on contract 2. Instead he ended up with 4 years of misery.

These guys need to be open. Accept the fact that maybe you are going to end up in the PB or in the AHL. They should be looking at who is good at developing more so than anything. In Butcher's case why wouldn't NSH be on the top of his list? Might be in tough to get a full-time gig, but at least you know they can develop guys. They also have UFA's coming up year after year, so the opportunity will be there "IF" he proves he can play.

Vancouver's prospect pool is more balanced at each position group then Edmonton's was back then (forward heavy). You never know for sure, but don't expect Canucks to be at bottom of standings after the next year or two.

 

[leafsnat1on]

Gretzky said about him "greatest prospect he's ever seen."

Sauce?

 

[81Leafs50]

I am done with these college free agents and people creating buzz for lack of content during the summer. No one ever pans out. YES, I dont think Vessey is any good.

 

[Magic Man]

Butcher would be a nice add for Toronto. I'd be alright with losing Toninato to gain Butcher.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

I am done with these college free agents and people creating buzz for lack of content during the summer. No one ever pans out. YES, I dont think Vessey is any good.

Signing a NHL-level player for free to an ELC out of college isn't a bad thing, that seems to be clearly panning out.

The problem is when the hype machine goes overboard and starts making players out to be really good before they get close. Hayes and Vesey were basically assured to be top 6 players from day 1. Schultz was a top pairing defender from day 1, didn't hurt that he killed the AHL with the other Oilers.

Butcher on the other hand is more like a Kevin Porter-level hobey baker winner (just picking an Avs example). He might come in and do well in the AHL and have a good season or two in the NHL, relatively speaking for a free prospect, but he's most likely a career AHLer or depth player.

 

[cwede]

if the chart UNSIGNED NCAA PLAYERS is fully up-to-date
at
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=122654931&postcount=2

then there are 19 guys becoming UFA Aug 15

UNSIGNED NCAA PLAYERS (Must be Signed by July 1st)
TEAM NAME POS AGE HEIGHT WEIGHT TEAM LEAGUE YR RD OV NOTES
CAR Olson, Collin G 23 6.04 209 Western Michigan NCAA 2012 6 159
DET McKee, Mike D 23 6.05 249 Western Michigan NCAA 2012 5 140
SJS Watson, Cliff D 23 6.02 190 Michigan Tech NCAA 2012 6 168
ARI Clifton, Connor D 22 5.11 194 Quinnipiac NCAA 2013 5 133
COL Butcher, Will D 22 5.10 190 Denver NCAA 2013 5 123
MIN De Jong, Nolan D 22 6.02 203 Michigan NCAA 2013 7 197
NYI Somerby, Doyle D 22 6.05 225 Boston University NCAA 2012 5 125
SJS Ausmus, Gage D 22 6.01 216 North Dakota NCAA 2013 5 151
ARI Soleway, Jedd C 23 6.03 220 Wisconsin NCAA 2013 7 193
CBJ Quenneville, Peter C 23 5.11 192 Aalborg Denmark 2013 7 195
NAS Stepan, Zach C 23 6.00 174 Minnesota-Mankato NCAA 2012 4 112
OTT Baillargeon, Robbie C 23 6.00 165 Arizona State NCAA 2012 5 136
TOR Toninato, Dominic C 23 6.02 194 Minnesota-Duluth NCAA 2012 5 126
NJD Kerfoot, Alex C 22 5.10 174 Harvard NCAA 2012 5 150
PIT Byron, Blaine C 22 6.00 172 Maine NCAA 2013 6 179
DET De Haas, James D 23 6.03 216 Clarkson NCAA 2012 6 170
CAR Collier, Brendan LW 23 5.09 176 Northeastern NCAA 2012 7 189
ANA Besse, Grant LW 22 5.10 174 Wisconsin NCAA 2013 5 147
CHI Calnan, Chris RW 23 6.02 203 Boston College NCAA 2012 3 79

 

[kes17]

Vancouver's prospect pool is more balanced at each position group then Edmonton's was back then (forward heavy). You never know for sure, but don't expect Canucks to be at bottom of standings after the next year or two.

I disagree with some of what you said, Vancouvers prospect pool is very forward heavy. They have Juolevi who is an A prospect, but aside from that, there's a bunch of question marks on the blue line. But I agree with them no longer being in the basement after two more years

 

[cgf]

He should go somewhere like Nashville that can develop him well on their AHL club for a few years, before going over to europe to make some money...though i suspect he'll be more interested in NJ where there's less competition for PT at the AHL level and the outside chance that all of their other NHL alternatives are so terrible that he gets a look.

Shame his skating never improved enough to give him a chance to overcome that size at the NHL level; because he is a smart passer.

 

[jebs]

hope he chooses development in strong team vs NHL time on a weak team. Learn from Schultz' mistake.

That would be a mistake. He should do the opposite, because he's not an NHL talent. If a team gives him a guaranteed spot he should take it and run and enjoy his short NHL experience.

Schultz was a totally different level of prospect.

 

[OV Rocks]

Do it Washington

Two openings on the NHL roster, a playoff spot, 2nd line PP time, play with Carlson or Orpik, or top 2 minutes in Hershey with a great partner to start.

 

[rynryn]

That would be a mistake. He should do the opposite, because he's not an NHL talent. If a team gives him a guaranteed spot he should take it and run and enjoy his short NHL experience.

Schultz was a totally different level of prospect.

idk. there were a lot of "why is this guy even playing" takes once Schultz started.

 

[jebs]

idk. there were a lot of "why is this guy even playing" takes once Schultz started.

Not true, he was put on the top pair, that's why he struggledd, he's always been an NHLer tho.

Butcher would struggle as a bottom pair guy.

 

[Yog S'loth]

I've got no agenda here and am just curious... what makes a guy like this such a low-level prospect?

He's heavily decorated with awards at every level he's played. He's a proven winner and captain at every level. His raw numbers are great. And he's just won the greatest accolade a player at his level can win.

Is he just a terrible skater? What causes a guy with such a great resume to be so poorly thought of?

 

[Paulinvancouver]

I'd roll the dice on this kid for sure. Welcome to Vancouver/Utica.

I do find it interesting that the guy has been playing in Denver four years yet doesn't want to play for the Avs..

 

[cgf]

I've got no agenda here and am just curious... what makes a guy like this such a low-level prospect?

He's heavily decorated with awards at every level he's played. He's a proven winner and captain at every level. His raw numbers are great. And he's just won the greatest accolade a player at his level can win.

Is he just a terrible skater? What causes a guy with such a great resume to be so poorly thought of?

He's not a terrible skater at all. But he's tiny, and when you're that tiny you need to be a plus skater (at the very least) to make up for it in the NHL. In the NCAA he was able to make up for his size, and he might be able to in the AHL or europe with some polish; but it just won't ever work in the NHL unless he hits a growth spurt or his skating improves by leaps and bounds to become a significant strength.

 

[JoemAvs]

I in contrast to most other Avs fans have not convinced myself that this guy will never turn into anything special.

I still think he is a pretty decent prospect and I hate that Roy mishandled him the way he did.

Avs clearly had no interest in him before last year so no surprise that he has no interest in the Avs right now.

Too bad.


The odds of him turning into more than a bottom pairing specialist kind of player are probably not in his favor but I wouldn't be all too mad if it happened.

Hope he picks the right situation for him. He probably should stay in the AHL atleast for another season to refine his game.

Best of luck to him..