Profile · Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
William “Will” Butcher
NHL defenseman and first Wisconsin-born Hobey Baker Award winner; born in Sun Prairie
$14 million
William “Will” Butcher is the first Wisconsin-born player to win the Hobey Baker Award, college hockey’s top individual honor. The win started on Sun Prairie ice and ran through Denver before a memorable NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils. He was born in Sun Prairie on January 6, 1995, to Joe and Julie Butcher. He played youth hockey in town and for the Madison Capitols, coached by his father, a two-time NCAA champion at UW–Stevens Point. After the U.S. National Team Development Program—gold at the 2012 under-18 worlds, later Team USA captain and top defenseman at the 2015 world juniors—he spent four seasons at the University of Denver. Each year his point total climbed. As a senior in 2016–17 he put up 37 points, finished plus-27, won NCHC player of the year, and helped Denver to a national championship. The Hobey followed. He tried to give the trophy to his teammates. Colorado had drafted him in the fifth round in 2013 and let him walk. The Devils signed the free agent, and on October 7, 2017, he became the first Devil with three points in a debut, then finished with 44 points in 81 games and an All-Rookie nod. Four seasons in New Jersey, a year in Buffalo, and later stops in the AHL and Europe followed. He remains an avid muskie fisherman. Sun Prairie is the pond he learned on; the NHL line is the afterlife.