Montreal Canadiens: Signing Free Agent Will Butcher
By Omar L
The Montreal Canadiens should jump at the opportunity to bring Hobey Baker winning defenceman Will Butcher into the organization.
Last season, Jimmy Vesey was the big free agent out of the NCAA. With the latest news that Will Butcher from the University of Denver will become a UFA on August 15th, the watch on his decision is on. The next couple of weeks will probably be spend meeting with teams and deciding where to sign. The Montreal Canadiens should definitely be one of the teams in the fold to bring him in.
Butcher was originally a fifth round draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche. Despite being drafted late, he is looking to be one of the steals from that draft. The 22-year-old is finishing his NCAA career with 158 games played, 28 goals and 75 assists.
Unfortunately, Butcher suffers from one of the biggest knocks a defencemen can have: being undersized. The Wisconsin-native doesn’t scream physical standing at five-foot-ten and 186 pounds. The stigma around size of NHL players isn’t as strong with forwards anymore, but it’s still present with blue-liners. With that being said, all the other 29 teams past up on selecting a gem in 2013.
https://twitter.com/DU_Hockey/status/783696872489623552
Offensive skill and mobility are the two words associated with Butcher. He can take care of his end, but at the same time man a power play. Although Butcher isn’t big, he plays big which is a great quality for undersized players. After an amazing senior year finishing with 37 points in 43 games, Butcher won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s best player.
The young defenceman now finds himself with a choice to make in which NHL team to play for.
Where the Montreal Canadiens Fit In
It’s obvious, but whether the Habs are able to sign Butcher depends on whether they can provide him what he wants. A max $925,000 entry-level contract wouldn’t be a problem at all. The Canadiens have nearly $8.5 million left in cap space and four contracts to hand out.
In terms of location, there’s no better city to play for. Mark Streit‘s comments after resigning with the Habs hammers home the point that it’s a special opportunity to play for Montreal.
"Montreal always had a special place in my heart. I started there. One thing I always missed was playing at the Bell Centre." - Mark Streit
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 25, 2017
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The one thing the Habs may not be able to promise Butcher is opportunity. There’s going to be a lot of internal competition at training camp this year, in particular when it comes to the third pairing. Claude Julien and the rest of the coaching staff will have to choose between David Schlemko, Brandon Davidson, and now Streit. The decision may not be as difficult as it seems though.
Another thing that may keep the young defencemen out of the line-up is the fact that he’s an offensive player. As we looked at earlier, it appears the Canadiens are pushing for more defensive-minded blue-liners based on the additions on the team. Butcher will have to prove to management, in particular Julien, that he can commit to the efficient defensive coverage in the NHL. Keeping in mind that he was a go-to on the penalty kill as well as the power play, Butcher’s defensive capabilities would most likely be beneficial to the team.
Bringing Will Butcher into the organization would strengthen an already good-looking defence prospect pool. Butcher would join the likes of Noah Juulsen and Brett Lernout as the Canadiens’ best young blue-liners. However, if the 2013 fifth round pick does push for a spot, he may be in additional competition with Juulsen who looks like a prospect who could make the team.
Related Story: Can Noah Juulsen Make the Team?
If Butcher is signed but doesn’t make the big club, he would be a great addition to the Laval Rocket. After making the playoffs for the first time in five season as the St. Johns Ice Caps, the team will be looking to continue playing playoff games in their debut season. Similarly to Juulsen or Lernout, Butcher would be an option to call up to the Habs during the year.
It’s always the best move to continue to add talent. Butcher obviously doesn’t have interest in signing with the team that drafted him, and is probably looking for an organization with a bright future. The Montreal Canadiens are in their window to win a Stanley Cup. There’s no reason why Butcher wouldn’t want to be a part of that.
Do you think the Habs should pursue Will Butcher? If so, can he make the team out of camp? Let us know what you think in the comments!