The Wild have announced today that they have acquired defenseman Will Butcher from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Maxim Cajkovic.
Newly acquired defenseman Will Butcher, scored his second career NHL goal against the Wild in 2017 with John Hynes as the head coach of the Devils.ST. PAUL - President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced today that the Wild have acquired defenseman Will Butcher from Pittsburgh in exchange for Forward Maxim Cajkovic.
Cajkovic, 23, was acquired in a trade that sent Pat Maroon to Minnesota before the season started.
The former third-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning has split time this season between the AHL and the ECHL. In five games with the Iowa Wild, Cajkovic has recorded one goal and three points. With the Iowa Heartlanders this season, he has recorded 12 goals and 18 points in 20 games.
Butcher, 29, is a former Hobey Baker winner with the Denver Pioneers where he spent three seasons before turning pro with the New Jersey Devils. Current Wild coach John Hynes was the coach of the Devils during Butcher's rookie season which saw him put up five goals and 44 points in 81 games. Butcher also put up one goal and four points in five playoff games that season. Butcher scored his second career goal against the Wild in Minnesota just two days after he recorded his first career goal against the Winnipeg Jets.
Since the 2017-18 season, Butcher has spent time in the organizations of the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Wisconsin native was put on waivers earlier this season but went unclaimed. He has played in 14 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL and has recorded three goals and seven points.
This will provide the Wild with some defensive depth in the organization as Butcher will report to the Iowa Wild.
Butcher has recorded 16 goals and 114 points in 275 career NHL games with the Devils and Sabres.