On Sunday night the New Jersey Devils signed 2017 Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher to a two-year entry-level contract.
I have some thoughts:
1) Butcher put up 37 points in 43 games last season, 32 in 37 games the year prior, wore a letter during all four seasons at the University of Denver, and is a legitimately good prospect. Is there reason to be optimistic about his future? Yes. Should you be happy the Devils signed him? Absolutely.
In saying that, I think it's important to keep expectations realistic. He's an undersized defenseman who, while an adequate skater, does not exactly possess game breaking speed. He's not going to come in and dominate and there will be a learning curve for him. If you're expecting him to step in right away and play like the top-4 defenseman the Devils desperately need, you're probably going to be left disappointed.
2) Butcher will be given every opportunity to break camp with the big club and his versatility will almost certainly help him get a spot provided he shows well.
Butcher has great hockey sense; can play left or right point. Played RD past 2 seasons at Denver. Is great on the PP.
— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) August 27, 2017
The top-4 roles, for better or for worse, are likely accounted for -- at least to start -- but Butcher's ability to play the left or right side should help him get into as many games as possible even if there's somewhat of a rotation going on with Steve Santini, Mirco Mueller, Michael Kapla, and Butcher, among others.
3) There will be an adjustment period for Butcher but I think we'll (mostly) know what the Devils have in him by the end of this season. By that point, he'll be 23 and only a year or two away from his prime. Sure, that is still young but Damon Severson tallied 30 points on an extremely low-scoring team, and drove possession, in his 22-year-old season and some people still aren't sold on him. If Butcher can come close to doing what Severson did I think it'd be a huge success, especially given all it took to bring him in is a contract slot.
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