Butcher signed a one-year contract with KHL club Barys Astana on Thursday, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports.
Butcher hasn't played in an NHL game since the 2021-22 campaign when he was with the Sabres. Selected by the Avalanche in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Draft, the 29-year-old defenseman's move overseas likely marks the end of his NHL career. If that's the case, he'll eventually hang up his skates having logged 275 games in which he tallied 16 goals and 98 helpers.
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Wild's Will Butcher: Acquired from Penguins
Rotowire
Butcher was acquired by the Wild from the Penguins in exchange for Maxim Cajkovic on Thursday.
Butcher has three goals and seven points in 14 contests with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. He's also recorded 16 goals and 114 points in 275 career NHL games, but he hasn't played at the top level since the 2021-22 campaign. Butcher is expected to report to AHL Iowa.
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Penguins' Will Butcher: Hits waivers
Rotowire
Butcher (undisclosed) was placed on waivers Tuesday, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Butcher appears to be ready for game action after starting the season on the injured non-roster list. If he goes unclaimed, he will probably report to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The 28-year-old blueliner produced six goals and 43 points in 65 minor-league contests with Texas last season.
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Penguins' Will Butcher: Participates in optional skate
Rotowire
Butcher (undisclosed) was on the ice for Tuesday's optional skate, Penguins radio play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports.
Butcher is not expected back in the short-term and his skating is considered just a first step in the recovery process. Even once cleared to play, the 28-year-old blueliner is far from a lock for the lineup and could find himself shifted down to the minors at some point.
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Penguins' Will Butcher: Out indefinitely
Rotowire
Butcher is out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury, Seth Rorabaugh of TribLive.com reports.
It's unclear when Butcher sustained the injury, but it appears he may miss the start of the regular season. The 28-year-old defenseman would have been a long shot for the NHL roster to begin with, and it's all but certain he'll start his 2023-24 campaign with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once healthy.
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Penguins' Will Butcher: Secures two-way deal
Rotowire
Butcher signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Penguins on Monday, per PuckPedia.
Butcher spent all of last season with AHL Texas, recording six goals and 43 points through 65 appearances. He has 275 games of NHL experience with Buffalo and New Jersey. The 28-year-old blueliner will fill a depth role with the Penguins but could see some NHL time throughout the year.
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Stars' Will Butcher: Hits waivers
Rotowire
Butcher was waived by Dallas on Sunday, CapFriendly reports.
Butcher has never played an AHL game but he could begin the 2022-23 campaign there. The 27-year-old has 275 games of NHL experience, making him an interesting option for a team in need of a depth blueliner.
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Stars' Will Butcher: Lands two-way deal
Rotowire
Butcher signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Stars on Friday.
Butcher drew into 37 games with the Sabres last season, picking up eight points while posting a minus-10 rating over that span. The 27-year-old blueliner will likely bounce between the AHL and the NHL in 2022-23, so don't expect him to be a useful fantasy option.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Gathers helper
Rotowire
Butcher logged an assist in Monday's 6-5 win over the Blackhawks.
Butcher has played in three of the Sabres' five games since he returned from a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old has a goal and an assist in that span, a rare stretch of scoring production from the struggling blueliner. He's at seven points, 34 shots on net, 30 blocked shots and a minus-10 rating in 34 contests, though his place in the lineup is far from secure. Butcher could slip back into a healthy scratch role once Colin Miller clears the COVID-19 protocols.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Suiting up Sunday
Rotowire
Butcher (lower body) was activated from injured reserve and will play Sunday against Vancouver, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.
Miller will dress for the first time since Jan. 29 after missing the last 19 games with a lower-body issue. The 27-year-old has tallied five points with a minus-10 rating through 31 games this season. He'll skate in a bottom-pair role Sunday.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Deemed day-to-day
Rotowire
Butcher (lower body) was labeled a day-to-day decision Tuesday.
Butcher will be eligible to return whenever deemed healthy as his minimum timetable of absence due to his placement on injured reserve has already elapsed. The 27-year-old has averaged 16:49 of ice time and logged five points over 31 games this season.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Lands on IR
Rotowire
Butcher (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.
Butcher has been sidelined for the last two games while dealing with a lower-body injury that he suffered in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Arizona. The 27-year-old has tallied two assists over his last five appearances. The minimum seven-day absence that comes with his injured reserve designation will not prevent him from participating in any contests thanks to the All-Star break. The next game on Buffalo's schedule is Feb. 10 against Columbus.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Returns to Buffalo
Rotowire
Butcher (lower body) has traveled back to Buffalo to undergo further evaluation by team doctors, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.
As such, Butcher won't be available to play in Tuesday's road clash with the Golden Knights. Even before getting hurt, the 27-year-old Wisconsin native was struggling for regular minutes and has spent time in the press box periodically as a healthy scratch. Casey Fitzgerald should see additional opportunities in Butcher's absence.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Unavailable Sunday
Rotowire
Butcher (lower body) will not play against Colorado on Sunday.
Butcher was injured during Saturday's tilt with the Coyotes. At this point, it's unclear how severe his injury is. An update could be available before Tuesday's matchup with Vegas.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Suffers injury early
Rotowire
Butcher (lower body) won't return to Saturday's game versus the Coyotes.
Butcher was making his return from an upper-body injury, but he didn't get to play much. A collision with a Coyote led to Butcher having his left leg landed on, and the 27-year-old was unable to continue in the contest. The Sabres are already understaffed with another game Sunday in Colorado, but it seems unlikely Butcher will play in that contest.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: In line to return Saturday
Rotowire
Butcher (upper body) is expected to play Saturday versus the Coyotes, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.
Butcher missed the last two contests with his upper-body injury. With the Sabres losing three players to COVID-19 protocols, Butcher will draw back into a lineup with seven defensemen and 11 forwards. He'll likely see limited usage akin to a third-pairing role.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Still out Tuesday
Rotowire
Butcher (upper body) is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the Senators.
Butcher will miss a second game with the injury he sustained Thursday versus the Stars. The 27-year-old's next chance to return is Saturday against the Coyotes, giving him a couple of extra days to recover.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Sidelined with upper-body issue
Rotowire
Butcher (upper body) won't play Saturday versus Philadelphia.
Butcher will miss at least one contest with the upper-body injury he suffered during Thursday's loss to Dallas. The Sabres have yet to release an expected timetable for Butcher's return, so for now, he can be considered day-to-day.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Won't return to Thursday's game
Rotowire
Butcher (upper body) won't return to Thursday's game versus the Stars.
It's unclear how Butcher was hurt, but he only logged five shifts in the first period. The 27-year-old joins fellow Sabres defensemen Jacob Bryson (COVID-19 protocols) and Colin Miller (undisclosed) as potential absences for Saturday's game against the Flyers. If Butcher can't play, the Sabres may need to recall a blueliner from the taxi squad or AHL Rochester.
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Sabres' Will Butcher: Returns to practice
Rotowire
Butcher (illness) was on the ice for Wednesday's game-day skate and figures to suit up versus the Devils, John Vogl of The Athletic reports.
Butcher missed the team's last game before the Christmas break due to a non-COVID illness but appears set to return. With the Sabres missing Jacob Bryson (COVID-19 protocols) and potentially Colin Miller (undisclosed), the 26-year-old Butcher could see an uptick in his minutes against New Jersey.
