The Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to a swap of two minor-league players. Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin said Thursday that the club acquired defenseman Will Butcher in exchange for forward Maxim Cajkovic.The Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to a swap of two minor-league players. Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin said Thursday that the club acquired defenseman Will Butcher in exchange for forward Maxim Cajkovic.
Butcher, 29, has recorded seven points (3-4=7) in 14 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League this season. The former fifth-round pick by Colorado and 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner has appeared in 79 career AHL games and 275 NHL games with New Jersey and Buffalo. He has 114 career NHL points (16-98=114). Guerin says Butcher will report to Iowa, providing depth for the NHL club amid a season filled with injuries. Minnesota gives up Cajkovic, a 23-year-old who came over to the organization in the trade with Tampa Bay that brought Patrick Maroon to the Wild on July 2. Cajkovic tallied three points (1-2=3) in five games with the Iowa Wild this season and collected 18 points (12-6=18) in 20 games with the Iowa Heartlanders in the ECHL.
