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Blue Jackets Passing On Butcher? |
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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed college defenseman Doyle Somerby to a two-year entry level contract.
Is this GM Jarmo Kekalainen's way of saying that he and his team are no longer interested in pursuing free agent puck mover Will Butcher? Has Camp Butcher informed Kekalainen (and other NHL GMs) that Butcher is moving in another direction?
Prior to the Somerby signing, the Blue Jackets were linked to Butcher speculation along with the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights.
From what I am hearing, Butcher, the 2017 Hobey Baker winner and hottest D free agent in the market today, is planning to visit the teams on his short list.
Has Butcher already met with the Sabres?
Over the weekend, one super stealthy Sabres fan/paparazzi clicked this candid shot of Butcher walking in the Denver airport with a Buffalo sabres equipment bag on his shoulder. Inquiring minds want to know if Butcher has already met face to face with Sabres GM Jason Botterill. Let's assume that Butcher has already met with and discussed plan the Sabres. Where else would he have gotten a Sabres hockey equipment bag? From his friends Jack Eichel, Sean Malone and Hudson Fasching?
Not likely.
Pics or it didn't happen, right?
If I'm Jarmo Kekalainen, Jim Rutherford, Stan Bowman or another NHL GM besides Jason Botterill, I'm guessing that Butcher has an interest in the Buffalo sabres.
Neither Butcher nor his agent are talking right now.
The Blue Jackets have several of Butcher's former Team USA and U.S. National Development Program teammates on their organizational roster in Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Sonny Milano, and Ryan Collins.
The field of suitors for Butcher appears to be dwindling with each passing day. On Sunday night, the Post Gazette reported the Penguins are no longer a "forerunner" in the Butcher sweeps. The Somerby signing all but takes Columbus out of the running. Perhaps Pittsburgh and Columbus have been told that Butcher is leaning towards signing a contract with the Buffalo Sabres and are acting accordingly by seeking blue line help in other areas.
Butcher became a free agent on August 16 after failing to sign an entry level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted him in the 5th round at the 2013 NHL Draft. Butcher and his agent have been narrowing their list of possible destinations since last Wednesday.
Somerby, 23, spent the past four seasons at Boston University where he scored eight goals and 19 assists for 27 points. Cast as a defensive defenseman, Somerby scored one goal and two assists in 39 games, serving as BU Terriers team captain during his senior season in 2016-17.
The 6'5" 223 lb. rear guard set career personal bests in goals, assists and points with 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points. Somerby ranked second overall in Hockey East with 77 blocked shots as a junior in 2015-16. Somerby helped the Terriers capture the Hockey East championship in 2014-15 and scored the game-winning goal in the national semi-final vs. North Dakota to advance to the 2015 Frozen Four championship game.
Somerby was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round, 125th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft. Prior to enrolling at BU, he played three seasons at Kimball Union Academy before joining the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks for a 10-game stint late in the 2012-13 season.
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