Penguins Sign Defenseman Will Butcher to a One-Year Contract

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Will Butcher to a one-year contract, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas.

The two-way contract runs through the 2023-24 season and carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.

Butcher, 28, spent the 2022-23 season with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League, recording six goals, 37 assists and 43 points in 65 games. Butcher led all Stars players in assists and set a franchise record for most assists by a defenseman in a single season. His 43 points paced all team defensemen, and his six goals were third among blueliners behind Thomas Harley (10) and newly-signed Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea (7).

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound defenseman split the first five seasons of his career between the New Jersey Devils (2017-21) and Buffalo Sabres (2021-22). In total, Butcher has recorded 16 goals, 98 assists and 114 points in 275 career NHL games, and added four points (1G-3A) in five playoff games.

Butcher was named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team in 2017-18 after leading all rookie defensemen in assists (39) and points (44), as well as ranking third (tied) among all rookies in scoring.

Prior to turning professional, Butcher played four seasons at the University of Denver from 2013-17. In 158 career collegiate games, he recorded 28 goals, 75 assists and 103 points, and captained his team to the NCAA Championship in his senior season in 2016-17. That season, he received the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top collegiate player, as well as USA Hockey's College Player of the Year Award after ranking third among league defensemen in assists (30) and second in points (37).

Before attending the University of Denver, Butcher played with the United States National Team Development Program from 2011-13. The Sun Prairie, Wisconsin native represented Team USA internationally at the 2012 and '13 World Under-18 Junior Championships, as well as the '14 and '15 World Junior Championships. He won gold and silver medals at the '12 and '13 Under-18 tournaments, respectively, and went on to win a bronze medal at the World Championship in 2018.

The defenseman was drafted in the fifth round (123rd overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.

Butcher was teammates with Penguins defenseman Ty Smith in New Jersey during Smith's rookie season in 2020-21.