Buffalo Sabres made a huge mistake not trading these players
By Sion Fawkes
Will Butcher
Like Miller, the former fifth-round pick struggled with injuries, but otherwise looked good on the ice. In 32 games, Butcher logged just five points while amassing nine hits and 29 blocks. The latter of which aren’t eye-popping for defensemen, but Butcher plays a different game.
He’s a tremendous puck handler, committing just eight giveaways this season and his discipline has kept him out of the penalty box. Also like Miller, Butcher hasn’t lived to the massive $4.1 million base salary the Sabres owed him.
And since his contract expires this season, he’s yet another talent that can walk away without the Sabres attempting to re-sign him. Again like Miller, Butcher would need to agree to a large pay cut to stay with the team beyond 2022, and it’s not likely to happen.
However, if another positive exists, it’s that Butcher just turned 27. So he’s young enough for general manager Kevyn Adams to at least consider keeping around. But if the Sabres let him walk, they were better off trading him at the deadline. At the very least, he was worth swapping for a late-round pick.