Wild acquire Butcher from Penguins

The Minnesota Wild have acquired defenseman Will Butcher from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Maxim Cajkovic.

Butcher has recorded three goals and four assists in 14 games with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, his seventh pro campaign.

Butcher made his AHL debut with the Texas Stars last season, collecting six goals and 37 assists for 43 points in 65 games.

Originally a fifth-round choice by Colorado in the 2013 NHL Draft, Butcher has played 275 games in the National Hockey League with New Jersey and Buffalo, tallying 16 goals and 98 assists for 114 points.

Cajkovic has appeared in five games for the AHL’s Iowa Wild this season, posting one goal and two assists. He has added 12 goals and six assists with the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL.

A third-year pro, Cajkovic has played 27 games in the AHL with Iowa and Syracuse, totaling four goals and five assists. He was a third-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2019 NHL Draft.