DU Lands Another Big-Time Recruit: Will Butcher

Will Butcher
The University of Denver hockey program has been busy this summer fielding commitments from U.S. National Development Program players.  The latest recruit is Will Butcher (5'11 190) a slick puck moving defenseman from Sun Prairie [near Madison], Wisconsin.  Butcher is considered to be one of the best American defensemen in his age group and a major recruiting coup for the DU coaching staff.

Windsor Spitfires head scout Terry Doran said that Butcher would have been a "Top 10" OHL draft selection if he had opted to go the major junior route.  The Scouting News said Butcher would have been a "Top 5" OHL selection.

The United States of Hockey Blog described Butcher...
Will Butcher, played midget hockey for the Madison Capitols Midget Major, also logged some time in the USHL last season, playing in two games with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The defenseman posted two assists while in Dubuque and a plus-2 rating. While Butcher lacks size for a Dman (5-10, 175), he is considered an elite puck mover and may be one of the best blueliners in this class. There are a lot of people in the scouting community that are very high on this guy and with good reason. Playing with Madison’s midget major club as an underager, Butcher registered 30 points (10g-20a) in 34 games in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. His offensive instincts have created a buzz that is sure to make him one to watch closely in Ann Arbor.

2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL)
D Dakota Mermis (U.S. Under-18)
D Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Garrett Allen (Dubuque, USHL)
D Nolan Zajac (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Quentin Shore (U.S. Under-18)

2013 Recruiting Class

F Brad Hawkinson (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
F Landon Smith (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Connor Chatham (U.S. Under-17)
F Ray Pigozzi (Des Moines, USHL)
D Will Butcher (U.S. Under-17)

2014 Recruiting Class

F Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage, U-16)
D Gage Ausmus (U.S. Under-17)
F Trevor Moore (Tri-Cities, USHL)

17 comments:

dggoddard said...

Thats six guys in the pipeline with two year's experience in Ann Arbor. Matt Van Voorhis also played up there before playing in Sioux Falls this season.

Twister said...

Great name! Any relation to Garth?

Anonymous said...

Holy crap; 2013 is looking wicked. I like it! So, is there any chance of The Butcher backing out of this and going to the OHL in a year from now?

Anonymous said...

Obviously there's always a chance...however, the power of the Super League shall compel him...

dusince59 said...

Hope he stays more than one year.

Anonymous said...

Butcher will continue to be pursued by Windsor in the OHL...and they have a pretty decent track record of being able to snag NCAA-commits away from school. I wouldn't call it a done deal until he arrives on campus.

Article from earlier this year...Butcher certainly doesn't dismiss heading to the OHL:

http://sports.yahoo.com/juniorhockey/news?slug=winstar-ca-4846340

Anonymous said...

I guess my Def'man '95 son will have to hope for '14....and the reason Killer hasn't been communicating is because he's been busy getting the 'national team' guys...

444 said...

http://twitter.com/#!/hammyhockey

I wouldn't get your hopes up until this kid is on the DU campus.

Anonymous said...

Warren Rychel is familiar with Denver and it is stated that "he hopes" this kid will come...and it is an old article from months prior to his commit...we good, until otherwise notified. So go away, punk.

dggoddard said...

Has DU ever recruited two more touted D-men than Ausmus and Butcher in the same recruiting class? Two blueliners that project to be NHL 1st round picks in 2013. Maybe even very early 1st round picks.

The OHL was hot after Butcher and he chose the USNDP over major juniors which is why he was selected in the 10th round.

The intent of the NCHC founding schools was to have a college hockey league that was so competitive that the schools could poach players that would have chosen major juniors over NCAA hockey. So far...so good.

Anonymous said...

At this point, DU will butcher the NCHC competition.

Aluuum said...

The N.C.H.C. is on it's way to becoming the "super" college hockey league. It will attract most of the outstanding young players who opt for a college education along with good hockey development. Five years from now the other college conferences will all be clearly inferior.

Anonymous said...

If the Super League leads elite players to choose NCAA over MJ, then it really is a good thing for college hockey despite what the haters say about the NCHC

dggoddard said...

Garrett Allen has been picked up by the defending USHL Clark cup champion Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Garrett signed a LOI with DU and will play for the Pioneers next season.

Dubuque is partially owned by DU hockey Alum Mark Falcone, Boston Bruins GM Peter Charelli & Mark's uber rich brother Philip. Philip played hockey at Harvard and owns a huge hedge fund.

Anonymous said...

Will Butcher's hometown: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Steve "Killer" Miller's hometown: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Will Butcher will be in a DU uniform on opening day October, 2013. Bank on it.

Anonymous said...

OMG; I have socks older than this athlete. When is this guy eligible for the National Hockey League entry draft?
Guaranteed 2 or 3 year guy at Magness Arena, if all this is true. If he's this hot, and if he maintains that hotness... he could be the new poster child for the NCAA in the draft, I think. The '11 draft - and most of them - are all about the OHL and the guys playing overseas. So I applaud these supposed "top notch" kids going the US college route, which is becoming an age-old battle. We'll see....... good job Coach Miller. That 1st year in the NCHC should be awesome to watch.

Anonymous said...

Gotta imagine that Gwoz relishes in these top notch commits from Wisconsin choosing him over Eaves...