The Buffalo Sabres have added defender Will Butcher and a 2022 fifth-round pick from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for future considerations, the teams announced Wednesday.
Butcher, 26, has spent the past four years in the Devils organization after signing as an NCAA free agent in 2017. After putting up 44 points as a rookie, the rearguard's numbers have steadily declined. Injuries, including a serious thumb injury, have contributed to that.
The defenceman is under contract for one more season, coming in at $3.73 million against the cap.
The trade creates extra room for the Devils' newest star on the blue line, Dougie Hamilton. The club signed the former Hurricane to a seven-year, $63-million contract on Wednesday, which carries a $9-million cap hit through the 2027-28 campaign.
