The offseason may not be without drama after all.
It is being reported by Craig Custance of The Athletic that the Columbus Blue Jackets have contacted free agent defenseman, Will Butcher. The Blue Jackets made a "pitch" to the player according to Custance.
To cover all the @theathletichq cities - Butcher hasn't received calls from Detroit, Chi, Toronto or SJ. Columbus has made a pitch.
— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) August 17, 2017
Butcher is reportedly looking at a dozen teams as contenders for his services. It isn't known yet if the Blue Jackets are one of those teams.
Butcher was the captain of the national championship winning University of Denver Pioneers team. In 43 games, Butcher scored seven goals and pitched in with 30 assists for a total of 37 points.
He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 draft by the Colorado Avalanche before deciding not to sign with the team.
Notably, Butcher won the Hobey Baker award in 2017, which goes to the top collegiate player in the NCAA. The offense-focused defenseman became an unrestricted free agent on August 16.
