I mean, look how they did in the playoffs ... i really don't see a problem with their defence.

Pittsburgh lost 3 defensemen in this offseason, two of which played in every single playoff game for us in the last run. While we do have Letang, Dumo, and Schultz as top 4 locks, our next spot belongs to some fringe guys that are questionably top 4 (Maatta, Cole). Hunwick was brought in but is a 6th D at best. Butcher would give us flexibility with our pairings and depth for the inevitable injuries (cough Letang cough)

Why Pittsburgh might want him -- Who wouldn't want to get the reigning Hobey Baker winner on an entry-level contract without having to trade for him?
Why Butcher might want them -- Who wouldn't want to sign with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions? (besides those who hate Pittsburgh like myself)

Who wouldn't sign there? Nobody would sign there ...

Don't forget Pouliot.

Pouliot is a bust. Just because in NHL 17 his potential is high doesn't mean that in real life it is.

it's not so much "the Penguins' defense is bad" so much as "the Penguins have this habit of picking in the bottom of the 1st round all the time, and talent drops off in an exponential-like manner through the first round, so signing free agents out of the NCAA makes up for the talent that they can't get through the draft (without having to trade up)." now, signing NCAA free agents that did exceptionally well in college doesn't always pan out (see: Brian Gibbons). but some NCAA free agents do work out (see: Conor Sheary), and, relative to other methods of acquiring players (trades, the mythical offer sheet, your draft choices, etc.), it has relatively low-to-zero risk.

the Penguins also have a history of signing NCAA players; this year's Penguins had the single largest group of NCAA alumni to ever win a Stanley Cup.

put two and two together, and you get why the Penguins would have an interest in signing NCAA free agents like Butcher (and also the track record to show that they can turn straw into gold). (EDIT: here's a write-up of the effects that NCAA players have had on the Penguins in these past couple of years: https://www.pensburgh.com/2017/6/20/15823824/nhl-penguins-college-hockey-ncaa-stanley-cup-champions)

yeah, but after 2 cups do they need another?

isn't that that video game? I don't play those NHL video games, so that's not why ... normally i don't know if he'd be a great prospect but the penguins seem to have these 'not great' prospects play big roles.

Everyone quiet! He's coming to Toronto, end of discussion.

...are you presuming that these NHL players are elementary schoolers? "okay, Sidney, you've had your 2 cups in a row, it's time to let someone else have all the fun. remember, sharing is caring!"

did I miss a clause in the CBA that puts a limit on the number of Cups a team can win? this is sports. this is the real world. losers whine about their best, and winners go home and get frisky with the prom queen.

sure, maybe PIT would want him, but he wouldn't want them.

Explain your reasoning. Why wouldn't Will Butcher want to sign with an organization that has the longest running playoff streak in the NHL, that has just won back-to-back cups, and has a well-established system of promoting NCAA talent like Butcher to meaningful roles in the NHL? What argument do you have for him not wanting to play there?

Also, just an FYI, Butcher's agent has already expressed interest in Pittsburgh as a landing spot, meaning that Butcher himself is at least somewhat interested.

Probably because it would mean he plays less, if Butcher signed with a team weak on defense (Toronto) he'd get plenty of ice time, while on Pittsburgh he may see more time on the bench. However do to Letang's injuries maybe Butcher would see some adequate ice time.

Letang's injuries, Maatta's injuries, and it's not hard to imagine Butcher jumping over a guy like Hunwick on the depth chart if he is as good as his potential states. Pittsburgh could also be shipping out a defensemen for a 3C in the future as well.

Well Pittsburgh has just won 2 cups, and he wouldn't get a lot of ice time and they still have some prospects that could take that spot to replace Daley. He'd be a bigger part of another team like Chicago, who's closer to his home ... i thought he'd stay with the Avs but i guess not anymore.
The Penguins have Letang, Schultz, Maatta, and Dumoulin as their top 4, and i could see the Pens giving Pouliot a big role possibly if they move out Maatta/Dumoulin in a Duchene deal. On a team like Chicago, Toronto, or someone like that he'd play a bigger role, and he'd get more ice time, and he wouldn't just go to the Penguins who have no need for him.

Will Butcher would get top 5 minuets. Kris Letang as a history of injuries, and Olli Maatta is coming off an injury. In the event that one of those two get injured, he will be slid into the top 4. Derek Pulliout is a bust. There is no chance of resurrection. Same with Griffin Reinhart, Scott Laughton, Malcolm Subban, etc.

Home has nearly nothing to do with signing. Jimmy Vesey is from the Boston area, but signed with New York.

You can never have too many defensemen, as long as there are average caliber players. Assuming that the Pens make a trade for Duchene is such a big uncertainty, that the idea doesn't hold too much water.

Are they supposed to try to lose?

Shattenkirk was offered like, what? 7M for more years in NJD, right? Also, the Devils were a good fit for him ... he signed with the Rangers, and they were the team he cheered for.

i didn't mean do they need another cup, i meant do they need another NCAA player?

I'm surprised a player signed with a cup contender and not another lotto team, while taken a slight pay cut in AAV.

Shattenkirk signing with NYR says that maybe home does have something to do with this?

Then how do you explain his agent's comments about Pittsburgh? Also, I'm sorry, but if you actually think Pouliot has a chance of playing top 4 time in Pittsburgh, then you've never watched him play. He is a bust... He lost his job in PIT to guys like Ruhwedel and Gaunce last year. Unless he has a severe 180 in his career path, he will never be more than an injury fill-in in PIT.

In very rare cases, yes, players will take less money to play for a preferred team (such as their home team, etc). Most of the time, they will play for the team that gives them the best contract, or the team that gives them the best chance to win a cup.

Since Will can't get more than the ELC, then he would look at his potential playing time, performance of the team, and their history of developing NCAA talent. While yes, some teams out there may be able to guarantee him more playing time than Pittsburgh, its hard to argue with their track record on NCAA talent and their team performance.

With most teams, yeah, he probably would be a bottom pairing guy, but the Penguins have been known to take these 'not great' prospects and turn them into great players who play big roles.

Edit: He's still young, give him some time.