The 31-year-old blueliner has one year left on a two-year contract with the Blues, but he spends most of his time in the minors. Butler played 61 games with AHL San Antonio in 2017-18, potting eight goals and notching 21 assists, but logged only six games with the big club. More of the same should be expected unless there's another onslaught of injuries in St. Louis.
Butler, the 29-year-old St. Louis native, will be returning for his third season with his hometown club, and having spent the majority of his most recent season with AHL Chicago, he’s likely to be down in the minors for most of the 2016-17 season as well. He’s an all-around defenseman with some offensive chops in the AHL, but his career NHL totals of 84 points in 387 games isn’t good enough to warrant a spot. He’ll serve as a depth defenseman for the Blues in case of injury.
Butler was his usual solid defensive self in 2012-13, playing nearly every game and holding down the back end. He never has been much of a scorer (just 59 points in 267 games) and 2013-14 should be no different. He will mean much more to Calgary than to any fantasy owner.
Butler has never been a stats defenseman, as evidenced by his seven career goals in 223 games, but he’s a reliable blueliner who will do the dirty work for Calgary. His 15 points last season are around his usual output, and he will make more of a difference for the Flames than for your fantasy team.
A recent arrival in Calgary as part of the Robyn Regehr trade, Butler will have a chance for a fresh start following a rough playoff campaign with the Sabres. He played in just 47 games last season with nine points and a plus-8 rating, but he did have 21 points in 59 contest two seasons ago. Odds are he won't light it up offensively and you're better off with a younger player with more upside.
Butler had a bit of a breakout season offensively for the Sabres in 2009-10, though he was also a healthy scratch quite often under coach Lindy Ruff. From six points in 47 games two seasons ago, Butler reaped the benefits of time on the power play last year, with one goal and 20 assists in 59 games. He should be one of the top six defenseman in Buffalo all year, and if that is the case, he is a definite sleeper, capable of 25 to 30 assists.
After being brought up from AHL Portland, Butler put up an impressive plus-11 rating in just 47 games last season. Despite his good rookie season on defense, the young defenseman could face competition for his job in 2009-10 and still needs some time to grow as a player to put up the stats needed to be fantasy worthy.
Butler is a defensive-minded player that showed great shot-blocking ability at the University of Denver. He should wait his turn in the AHL this season.
Junior at the University of Denver.
