 He was drafted in the second round, 49th overall, by the Red Wings in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.Yuri is the brother of the former NHL player Viacheslav Butsayev.Drafted from HC Lada Togliatti, Butsayev made his National Hockey League debut with the Red Wings during the 1999–2000 season, appearing in 57 games and scoring five goals.