(Wild.com ) Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired forward Cameron Butler from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Brendan Gaunce.
Butler, 23 (6/9/02), collected three points (2-1=3), 74 penalty minutes (PIM) and 29 shots in 37 games with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound native of Ottawa, Ont., owns 11 points (4-7=11), 145 PIM and 74 shots in 91 career AHL games in three seasons with Cleveland (2022-25). Butler has appeared in one NHL game, making his debut on March 30, 2024, vs. Pittsburgh.
He recorded 154 points (74-80=154), 297 PIM, 23 powerplay goals (PPG) and 543 shots in 257 career Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games in parts of four seasons with the Peterborough Petes (2018-20), Niagara IceDogs (2020-22) and Oshawa Generals (2022-23). He served as Captain for Niagara in the 2021-22 season, posting 23 points (6-17=23), 22 PIM and 64 shots in 24 games. He also recorded five points (3-2=5), 26 PIM and 23 shots in nine OHL playoff games with Oshawa.
Butler signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Columbus on March 16, 2023.
Gaunce, 31 (3/25/94), skated in 12 games with Minnesota last season, collecting one assist and 11 shots. He also recorded 29 points (15-14=29), 20 PIM and five PPG in 39 games with Iowa.
