Chris Butler (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
Chris Butler is an American
professional ice hockey
defenseman
currently playing for the Calgary Flames
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He was a fourth round selection of the Buffalo Sabres
, chosen 96th overall at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
. He then played three seasons at the University of Denver
before turning professional in 2008.
, Missouri, playing both hockey and baseball
. His father Doug was also a professional hockey player, drafted by the NHL's Boston Bruins
and the Calgary Cowboys
of the World Hockey Association
in 1977, and played parts of three seasons in the American Hockey League
(AHL). Doug coached his son as the younger Butler grew up. Chris's mother, Martha, was also an athlete who played field hockey
while she attended college in St. Louis.
of the United States Hockey League
(USHL). He led the Musketeers with a +36 plus-minus rating in 2004–05, played in the league's All-Star Game and was named to the first All-Star team following the season. He was then selected by the Buffalo Sabres
, 96th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
but first committed to attend and play hockey at the University of Denver
.
In his first season with the Denver Pioneers
, Butler was selected to join the United States junior team
at the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
. He played four games for the fourth place Americans. Butler spent three seasons with the Pioneers, scoring 20 goals and 66 points in that time. He was the team's assistant captain in 2007–08 and was considered the team's top defenseman while being named an All-American. Butler left the Pioneers following his junior season, signing an entry-level contract with the Sabres.
. He appeared in 27 games for the Pirates and scored 12 points when he was recalled to Buffalo on December 18, 2008. He made his NHL debut the following night against the Los Angeles Kings
, a 5–0 victory in which he scored his first NHL point with an assist on a goal by Adam Mair
. He scored his first goal on March 20, 2009, against Martin Biron
of the Philadelphia Flyers
. Butler appeared in 47 games for the Sabres in his rookie season, scoring two goals and four assists.
An ankle injury forced Butler out of the Sabres' lineup for 12 games in 2009–10
, but he posted improved offensive numbers, scoring 21 points in 59 games. Still, he found himself marginalized by the Sabres late in the season, and stated himself that he lacked consistency in his play in 2010–11
. He appeared in 49 games for the Sabres, and while his offensive production dropped to nine points, he improved his plus-minus to +8 after finishing -15 the year previous. Following the season, however, Butler was packaged in a deal that saw him dealt to the Calgary Flames
along with Paul Byron
on June 25, 2011, in exchange for Robyn Regehr
, Ales Kotalik
and a second round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
. The Flames quickly signed him to a two-year, US$
2.5 million contract.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He was a fourth round selection of the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, chosen 96th overall at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
2005 NHL Entry Draft
The 2005 NHL Entry Draft was the 43rd NHL Entry Draft.As a lockout cancelled the games of the 2004–05 NHL season, the draft order was determined by lottery on July 22, 2005. Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years...
. He then played three seasons at the University of Denver
Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey
The University of Denver Men's Hockey Program has been playing NCAA Division I hockey since 1949. Pioneer Hockey is one of the most successful hockey programs in the history of collegiate hockey. The Pioneers rank second in all-time NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championships with 7. Only the University...
before turning professional in 2008.
Early life
Butler grew up in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri, playing both hockey and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. His father Doug was also a professional hockey player, drafted by the NHL's Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and the Calgary Cowboys
Calgary Cowboys
The Calgary Cowboys were an ice hockey team that played two seasons in the World Hockey Association from 1975–1977. The Cowboys played at the Stampede Corral in Calgary. The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles, though it never played a game in Miami...
of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
in 1977, and played parts of three seasons in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL). Doug coached his son as the younger Butler grew up. Chris's mother, Martha, was also an athlete who played field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
while she attended college in St. Louis.
Junior and college
Butler played high school hockey in St. Louis, one season in Junior B followed by two seasons with the Sioux City MusketeersSioux City Musketeers
The Sioux City Musketeers is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .The Musketeers' home ice is Tyson Events Center.The Musketeers have had 15 players reach the NHL...
of the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
(USHL). He led the Musketeers with a +36 plus-minus rating in 2004–05, played in the league's All-Star Game and was named to the first All-Star team following the season. He was then selected by the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, 96th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
2005 NHL Entry Draft
The 2005 NHL Entry Draft was the 43rd NHL Entry Draft.As a lockout cancelled the games of the 2004–05 NHL season, the draft order was determined by lottery on July 22, 2005. Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years...
but first committed to attend and play hockey at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
.
In his first season with the Denver Pioneers
Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey
The University of Denver Men's Hockey Program has been playing NCAA Division I hockey since 1949. Pioneer Hockey is one of the most successful hockey programs in the history of collegiate hockey. The Pioneers rank second in all-time NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championships with 7. Only the University...
, Butler was selected to join the United States junior team
United States men's national junior ice hockey team
The United States men's national junior ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in the United States. The team represents the United States at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World U20 Championship....
at the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships were held in Vancouver, Kelowna, and Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The championships began on December 26, 2005, and finished on January 5, 2006. Games were played at GM Place and the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, the Interior Savings Centre in...
. He played four games for the fourth place Americans. Butler spent three seasons with the Pioneers, scoring 20 goals and 66 points in that time. He was the team's assistant captain in 2007–08 and was considered the team's top defenseman while being named an All-American. Butler left the Pioneers following his junior season, signing an entry-level contract with the Sabres.
Professional career
Butler began the 2008–09 season with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Portland PiratesPortland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
. He appeared in 27 games for the Pirates and scored 12 points when he was recalled to Buffalo on December 18, 2008. He made his NHL debut the following night against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, a 5–0 victory in which he scored his first NHL point with an assist on a goal by Adam Mair
Adam Mair
Adam Mair is a Canadian ice hockey centre who is currently playing for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL.-Playing career:...
. He scored his first goal on March 20, 2009, against Martin Biron
Martin Biron
Martin Gaston Biron is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders...
of the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Butler appeared in 47 games for the Sabres in his rookie season, scoring two goals and four assists.
An ankle injury forced Butler out of the Sabres' lineup for 12 games in 2009–10
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
, but he posted improved offensive numbers, scoring 21 points in 59 games. Still, he found himself marginalized by the Sabres late in the season, and stated himself that he lacked consistency in his play in 2010–11
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
. He appeared in 49 games for the Sabres, and while his offensive production dropped to nine points, he improved his plus-minus to +8 after finishing -15 the year previous. Following the season, however, Butler was packaged in a deal that saw him dealt to the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
along with Paul Byron
Paul Byron
Paul Byron is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He is currently playing with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . Byron was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 6th Round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:Byron played junior hockey with Gatineau Olympiques in the...
on June 25, 2011, in exchange for Robyn Regehr
Robyn Regehr
Robyn Regehr is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He was a first round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche, selected 19th overall at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, but was traded to Calgary while still playing junior hockey for the...
, Ales Kotalik
Aleš Kotalík
Aleš Kotalík is a professional ice hockey right winger playing for HC Mountfield České Budějovice of the Czech Extraliga.-Playing career:...
and a second round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
2012 NHL Entry Draft
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft will be held on June 22–23, 2012 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the first time Pittsburgh will host the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft....
. The Flames quickly signed him to a two-year, US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.5 million contract.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2003–04 | Sioux City Musketeers Sioux City Musketeers The Sioux City Musketeers is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .The Musketeers' home ice is Tyson Events Center.The Musketeers have had 15 players reach the NHL... |
USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
55 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 37 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL | 60 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 90 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 2005–06 | Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey The University of Denver Men's Hockey Program has been playing NCAA Division I hockey since 1949. Pioneer Hockey is one of the most successful hockey programs in the history of collegiate hockey. The Pioneers rank second in all-time NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championships with 7. Only the University... |
WCHA Western Collegiate Hockey Association The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference.... |
35 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | University of Denver | WCHA | 39 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | University of Denver | WCHA | 41 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Portland Pirates Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
27 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
47 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 59 | 1 | 20 | 21 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 49 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| NHL totals | 155 | 5 | 31 | 36 | 66 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||