New Buffalo Sabres player VERY excited to join the team
Will Butcher had an array of struggles last regular schedule, being scratched from the roster regularly in 2021 and having to sit out due to COVID-19 related protocol. The offensive defenseman, who won the Hobey Baker Trophy in 2017 before signing a huge contract with the New Jersey Devils, was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. The man who opted for autonomy over the Colorado Avalanche, who selected him in 2013, was practically given to the Sabres.
The Devils sent him, along with a 5th round pick, to Buffalo in return for future considerations. On top of that, the Devils organization kept a portion of his salary, $910,569 of his cap hit of $3.733 million. Still, that's not much for a defenseman who had 44 points in his rookie year. Butcher moves the disc very well and is able to spot a teammate very quickly.
That being said, Butcher wanted a change of scenery, and that's what he got, even if it's with Buffalo... and even if he was practically given away to them (he only has one year left on his current contract). He doesn't seem to be making too much of it. He slowed down the pace from 2019-20 as Ben Lovejoy was no longer alongside him, in addition to Subban, who took a lot of minutes from him on the massive offense. Add to that also the coaching change, which didn't help Butcher's cause.
"When it happened and I knew it was Buffalo, I was super excited. Before I came to New Jersey and left college as a free agent, I couldn't talk enough about (Sabres owner) Pegula and everything they have going on there, the effort and the first-class organization they run. It's pretty special to be traded to a place that values hockey, especially the fans. That's why I was very excited when I found out it was the Sabres," said Butcher.
Excited about a change of scenery, I can completely understand. But excited about the Sabres, it just doesn't make sense to me. This team is completely going off on the Jack Eichel issue... Anyway, let's wish Butcher all the best as he seems to be excited about this new challenge in front of him.
