Career
During his career, he was known as a fast, gritty defensive specialist with a limited offensive upside. Butler was selected 55th overall in the 1971 National Hockey League Amateur Draft despite scoring only 6 goals in junior the previous season. He spent most of his first two professional seasons in the minors, earning an 8-game callup during the 1972-1973 season during which he scored his first National Hockey League goal.
Called up again late in the 1973-1974 campaign, he impressed with 16 points in 26 games, and remained with the team during the playoffs, appearing in 12 of 13 games.
In 1974-1975, Butler"s first full National Hockey League season, he recorded 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points in 78 games, and earned a positive reputation for his speed, hustle, and quality defensive play. However, at the conclusion of the season he was traded to the Saint Louis Blues as the centerpiece of a deal for star goaltender John Davidson.
In Saint Louis, he received the opportunity to play on one of the Blues" top lines with Garry Unger and Bob MacMillan, and responded with the finest year of his career, finishing the 1975-1976 season with 17 goals and 41 points despite missing 14 games due to injury. He had another solid year in 1976-1977, posting 12 goals and 32 points for the Blues.
Just after the start of the 1977-1978 campaign, Butler was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Inge Hammarstrom.
In Toronto, he received less icetime, as coach Roger Neilson used him exclusively as a defensive/penalty killing specialist. Butler spent three seasons in Toronto before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks late in the 1979-1980 season. In 1980-1981, he recorded 12 goals and 32 points for Vancouver, his highest offensive totals since his time in Saint Louis.
Released by the Canucks, he signed with the Winnipeg Jets as a free agent for 1982-1983.
He recorded 3 goals and 9 points in 42 games, but was demoted to the minors late in the season. Rather than accept the assignment, he chose to retire.
Butler finished his National Hockey League career with 99 goals and 120 assists for 219 points in 641 games, along with 515 penalty minutes.
