The Dallas Stars have signed defenseman Will Butcher to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season.
The Dallas Stars' blueline continues to take shape in the likely event of John Klingberg's departure.
The Stars added another piece to plug that Klingberg-size hole on Friday evening, agreeing to terms with defenseman Will Butcher on a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000 at the NHL level and $300,000 at the AHL level.
It's been a rough recent stretch for the 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner.
After bursting onto the scene with a 44-point rookie campaign with the Devils in 2017-18, Butcher has struggled to match that same production level in the years since, bottoming out last with just two goals and six assists for eight points in 37 games for the Buffalo Sabres.
The 27-year-old now joins a Stars' defense corps that is filled with a number of new and returning players all vying for playing time, meaning that Butcher will need to battle for a roster spot in training camp and likely won't receive the larger role that could potentially help him find his footing once again.
Still, the Stars have become known in recent years for their ability to produce quality defensemen, and perhaps some extended sessions with the team's development staff could do Butcher some good.