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Pens Not Mightier Than Swords |
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According to Jason mackey of the Post Gazette, the Pittsburgh Penguins are not among the “front runners” to secure 2017 Hobey Baker winning defenseman Will Butcher.
Butcher, 22, was captain of the University of Denver Pioneers' NCAA championship team this past season.
On August 16, Butcher became an unrestricted free agent after he refused sign an entry level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, the team that selected him at the 2013 NHL Draft.
At the stroke of midnight on Wednesday, the Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils and Las Vegas Golden Knights contacted the agent for Butcher to inquire about the fleet footed puck mover.
The Pens had a phone meeting with Butcher. There have been no reports of a face-to-face get together between Butcher and Pens GM Jim Rutherford
Butcher declining the advances of the back to back Stanley Cup champs is noteworthy.
Perhaps the reason why Butcher is not so high on the Penguins is new GM Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill.
Recently, Botterill left the employ of the Pens after ten seasons as the team's assistant general manager and GMmof the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.
While in Pittsburgh, Botterill won three Stanley Cups.
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford entrusted Botterill to conduct his Scouting, drafting and developing of NCAA hockey players. Botterill, a 1996 NCAA Men's Hockey champion with Red Berenson's Michigan Wolverines, is a passionate believer that NCAA players are adept at making seamless transitions to AHL and NHL hockey.
Botterill has earned his reputation as "The NCAA Hockey Player Whisperer". While in Pittsburgh Botterill was a staunch advocate for selecting NCAA players at the NHL Draft. Ever hear of Jake Guentzel? Bryan Dumoulin? Conor Sheary? Brian Rust?
Botterill also knows a thing or two about selecting NCAA free agents who become available after not signing after four seasons in college or going undrafted. Last summer, Botterill picked up Thomas Di Pauli . Botterill also landed Zach Aston-Reese during the regular season.
Have Jason Botterill and Phil Housley won the Will Butcher recruitment competition?
On Saturday night, I couldn't help but stop and ponder after seeeing this photo of Butcher walking through the Denver airport, with a Sabres equipment bag on his shoulder. How would Butcher have gotten such a bag? Did the Sabres email it to him? Did they Fed X it to his home?
Or, did Butcher receive the swag bag from Botterill and Housley live in person, at a meeting in Buffalo?
The Sabres are still a very real contender to woo Butcher to Buffalo.
All he need do was watch Phil Housley's Nashville Predators D corps during the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs to see how Housley intends to attack opponents now that he is the bench boss in Buffalo.
Butcher's skills are a perfect match for Housley's aggressive, high tempo attack.
Butcher is a powerful, fast skating modern defenseman who plays the uptempo style that is Housley'sbclaim to fame. I have been saying for months that I see a lot of Anaheim Ducks defense star Sami Vatanen in Butcher. I also see a lot of Nashville Predators D extraordinaire Ryan Ellis in Butcher who is lean, mean, exits his zone and activates the rush clean.
Butcher can make the puck dance with his quick stick. At 5'11" and 190 lbs.
A product of the U.S. National Development Program, Butcher played four seasons at the University of Denver. In 158 career games with the Pioneers, Butcher scored 28 goals and 75 assists for 103 points.
In 2016-17, Butcher set career personal best for points (37) and games played (42). Butcher scored 7 goals and 37 assists last season.
Buffalo Sabres head coach Phil Housley plays a five man attack system that features the D jumping into the rush and supporting the puck below the face off circles in the offensive zone.
Sabres GM Jason Botterill would be wise to hard sell Butcher an the benefits of playing for Housley in Buffalo.
Housley coached Butcher at the 2012 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo.
Butcher played with Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons at the USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints. on Friday, Botterill signed Girgensons to a two-year, $3.2 million contract extension.
Butcher also played with Sabres Jack Eichel, Hudson Fasching and Sean Malone at the U.S. national Development Program.
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