Will Butcher

Will Butcher avoids arbitration, signs with Devils

Will Butcher and the New Jersey Devils avoided arbitration as they came to terms on a three-year contract worth $3.73 million.

Fantasy Impact

After an excellent rookie season that produced 44 points (23 on the power-play), Butcher experienced the dreaded sophomore slump. He averaged over three more minutes of ice-time, and virtually the same amount of power-play time, yet he posted just 30 points (14 on the power-play) in 2018-19. New Jersey's power-play efficiency as a team dropped 3.7%, so it was to be expected that Butcher's overall production would take a hit as a result. The Devils addressed this regression with the addition of P.K. Subban, so it looks like Butcher will be squeezed off the first power-play unit due to his presence. The Devils have turned themselves into a more threatening offensive team overall, which bodes well for Butcher 5-on-5, but he will likely find himself demoted to PP2.