Avalanche select Will Butcher with the 123rd overall pick

More defensemen for the Avalanche as they select Will Butcher. The Wisconsin native, coming in at 5'11" and 180 lbs, will be in Denver next year as he is set to play for the DU Pioneers. He comes out of the US National Team Development Program and has represented the US in multiple tourneys.

Butcher (great name for a d-man, eh?) would have been a top-5 OHL selection had he not chosen the NCAA route. He is considered a puck-moving defenseman. From LetsGoDU Sports Blog:

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.

This is actually an intriguing pick, and it will be fun to be able to watch him in person here in Denver.