We’re just a few days away from finding out where NCAA free agent Will Butcher will sign.
According to NHL.com, the Hobey Baker Award winner will make his NHL decision this Sunday with the help of his agent and family.
“He’s in Denver now at the pro camp taking place at the University of Denver, so he hasn’t been with his family to sit down and talk about things,” Butcher’s agent, Brian Bartlett, told the website on Thursday. “The hope is we’ll sit down once he gets home and make a decision by Sunday because NHL rookie tournaments and camps are coming up pretty quick.”
Butcher was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche back in 2013, but opted not to sign with the club following his college career in Denver. The 22-year-old defenceman officially became a free agent on Aug. 16.
According to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, Butcher spoke with at least five teams last week while Bartlett indicated that four teams were on the player’s list—with Buffalo and Vegas in the mix.
“He wants to play for a team that really understands and believes in him as a player and what he can bring to an organization, so it’s weeding out the ones who just kind of want good players since every team needs good players,” Bartlett said. “The second part is which team has the opportunity and resources to give him the best chance to be a longtime professional player. We haven’t been demanding he make the team right out of [training] camp or have a roster spot. It’s about the process over the next couple of years.”
