Count out the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks in the Will Butcher Sweepstakes. The smooth skating NCAA star blue liner who became an unrestricted free-agent last week has been courting offers from several NHL teams, but looks to be narrowing down his list and coming close to making a decision.
So, if the Penguins and Hawks are out, who’s still in? In no particular order, you can expect Butcher to sign with one of the following four teams:
Columbus Blue Jackets
Vegas Golden Knights
New Jersey Devils
Buffalo Sabres
Each team has a vacant spot on their blue line for 2017-18 and could use a player with Butcher’s talent and skill. While it remains to be seen where exactly he’ll end up, look for the 22-year-old to make an immediate impact in the NHL.