Everyone thought the New Jersey Devils found a hidden gem after they signed defenseman Will Butcher as a free agent in 2017, who went on to have a fantastic rookie campaign.
He wasn’t as effective in the 2018-19 season, but he was still one of the team’s top defenseman. In fact, he may have been the best of the bunch. However, Butcher looked like a totally different player this year, and not in a good way.
The 25-year-old’s season ended early after he suffered a thumb injury on Feb. 18 against the St.