Goaltender Marc Andre-Fleury broke his stick during the game, a representation of some of the tension within the team at the time.

“They’re human beings and they feel it and they know it,” said Wild coach Dean Evason, after the Feb. 9 loss. “It’s easy to go in and kick the garbage can over 14 times tonight or come two days from now and scream. What are we going to do? We have to get back to how we play structurally.

“We’ll remind them of all those things and stay as positive as we can. What else are you going to do?”

Flanked by the Minnesota Wild’s Dave Schwartz (L) and Bill Butters (R), Nate Prosser discusses his faith journey at the Wild’s Faith and Family event. (MHM Photo / Heather Rule)

The Wild eventually turned things around, with a stretch of eight wins in nine games. But former Wild defenseman Nate Prosser, 36, could relate to the kind of stress, pressure and mounting frustrations that can show up in a long NHL season. He shared some of his faith journey, along with Minnesota Wild chaplain Bill Butters, at the Wild’s Faith and Family pregame event on Feb. 28 at the St. Paul RiverCentre. More than 275 tickets were sold as part of the special package.

Faith was his firm foundation, Prosser said.

“I was always signed as a no. 7 defenseman, so I sat out for three, four weeks at a time,” Prosser said. “And you can’t tell me there wasn’t stresses or frustrations with that.”

When it’s a contract year and his hockey skills got rusty while he was a healthy scratch for a month at a time, where would he turn? His faith. He’d hit play on worship music or lean on his wife, Brittani, and her faith to keep him going through his day-to-day grind of the hockey schedule.

Prosser kept himself even-keeled, and always loved showing up to the rink with a smile on his face. Was his team on a four-game winning streak or a six-game losing streak? Couldn’t tell by looking at Prosser.

“I showed up the same way,” he said. “I wanted all my teammates to see that. I loved being the team-first guy that brought our locker room together. That’s what I pride myself on throughout my career.”

That team-first player retired from the NHL in June 2021 after 11 goals and 49 points in 360 games as a defenseman. The Elk River native, who played for the Minnesota Wild for eight seasons, settled back in his home state with his family.

Bill Butters, a former North Stars player, said Prosser was his “go-to guy” for holding chapel with players. Now, there is one “chapel guy” left, Butters said: Marcus Foligno.

“It’s usually guys with big fists and play hard that have a soft heart,” Butters said.

Prosser acknowledged that he liked to chirp and play physical on the ice. But even as a kid, he took on a leadership role growing up in Elk River in a blue-collar, “very church-oriented house.”

“I always had a heart for the broken and the lost and the made fun of,” Prosser said. “Even at a young age.

“I always wanted to be the leader… be friends with those guys and reach out to them.”

That leadership carried over to his hockey locker rooms, a place combined with Christianity “wasn’t like peanut butter and jelly,” because they didn’t go well together, Prosser said.

Starting in high school hockey, the locker room scene was focused on partying and girls, he added. It was important for him to find a group of friends who shared his values. Most of his best friends from high school weren’t hockey players.

Once his career took him to the Wild, he enjoyed eight great years there, calling the signing “a God thing.”  

“A guy like me wasn’t supposed to sign a contract with the hometown Minnesota Wild,” Prosser said. “It just wasn’t meant to happen like that. I knew God was going to have his hand in the rest of my career.”

(MHM Photo / Jeff Wegge)

Though Prosser was never the guy at the top of the scoresheet or on the top defensive pairing, he earned the respect of his teammates throughout his professional hockey career. He relished being the guy in the room whom players could turn to and lean on if they struggled in their personal lives, needed to feel like part of the team after getting called up to the big club, or maybe it was a top goal scorer who went eight days without a goal.

“They show up with their shoulders shrugged a little bit,” Prosser said. “I loved to build those guys back up.”

His faith rubbed off on some of his teammates, too. Prosser recalled going to NHL chapel programs, then coming into the Wild locker room and Chris Stewart asking “spit some knowledge at me, Pross. What did you learn in there?”

Prosser obliged. When he did, guys in the room paused from taping their sticks to listen as Prosser spoke about his faith and Jesus. Prosser also had an effect on former Wild player Dany Heatley, who changed his vocabulary around Prosser; he wouldn’t say the Lord’s name in vain around Prosser.

“Talk about having respect,” Prosser said. “That was earned.”

Having been retired from the NHL for nearly two years, Prosser and his family live in Plymouth, and he is coaching 10U, 8U and 6U hockey teams, filling his days with his kids’ sports and activities. One of the things he is most excited about is that he can continue to be faith-driven in his work, which has “been huge in my next chapter of life after hockey.” Everyone struggles with the transition to life post-hockey, he said, so it took him some time to figure out what he wanted to do, along with being a dad to his four daughters under the age of 10.

A few months ago, Prosser also joined True North Equity Partners, a package assembly facility that Prosser is helping to grow.

“They share my moral compass, and my faith,” Prosser said. “That’s what kind of drew me to them.”

He knew all along that being a hockey player was something he did, not who he was.

“I think that was always harped into me a young age,” Prosser said. “My dad always told me, ‘whether you play until you’re 18 or you play until you’re 35, really, what does it matter? It matters what you’re doing for eternity.’

The post A Firm Foundation appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

 Herb Brooks Foundation honors Bill Butters’ amazing comeback

When the good Lord made Bill Butters, he took one look and then broke the mold, as Butters is truly like no other. His transformation into who he is today is really hard to fathom. Butters went from one extreme to another, going from an NHL tough guy with the Minnesota North Stars to the church pulpit as a minister.

As a player, Butters was known as an enforcer, being one of the toughest and fiercest competitors who ever played hockey in Minnesota.  He was also known to have been just as tough off the ice, bending the rules as he saw fit, with his partying and other escapades.

Butters now is known as  a man with a gentle spirit who leads Chapel services in NHL and college locker rooms. He is now also serving on the staff of Hockey Ministries International.

On June 12, at the National Sports Center in Blaine Minn., Butters was recognized for all that he has done for the hockey community when he was honored with the 2015 Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame Award.  Brooks, his former coach at the University of Minnesota, was instrumental in helping Butters get to this point.

Early on in Butters’ ministry work, Brooks took him aside and told him he wanted to help and do a fundraiser for him. Brooks did just that, raising over $10,ooo to help Butters get started.

Pushing the envelope

The former Minnesota Fighting Saint’s character was not always saintly, though. In fact, according to an interview Butters did for Eagle Brook Church, Brooks once told him, “Right now Bill, you are a character; I hope someday you will have character.”

Bill’s escapades on and off the ice were legendary. When requesting stories from former team mates about Bill’s past, the most common response is I have a story, but can’t tell you, because it would not be suited for print. Besides, they also knew Bill was famous for getting people back in the pranking department, and wasn’t afraid to take his game to the extreme.

Former Olympian Rob McClanahan said of Butters, “Billy will be the first to admit he is lucky to still be alive.”

Bill Butters still entertaining others at the Herb Brooks Foundation Golf Tourney (photo by HBF staff)

Butters was always pushing the limits off the ice in his NHL playing days and his North Stars teammate, Steve Payne, offered a prime example.

Payne recalled a night  in Atlanta after a game against the Flames at a restaurant and bar adjacent to the team hotel.  As the story goes, a large tropical aquarium separating the restaurant from the bar quickly drew Butters’ interest.

“Bill was really quick with his hands,” Payne said.  “He stuck his hand in the tank and grabbed a fish.  He then looked at us, and stuck the fish in his mouth and ate him live.  When Butters repeated the dubious feat, the bartender, seeing his fish disappearing, asked him to stop.  Payne says this only encouraged Butters to push the envelope and he swallowed yet another tropical fish.

The bartender was now getting really upset, saying “That’s it, if you do it again, I’m calling the cops,” Payne said.  Bill took that as a challenge and ate another fish.

“Known for never backing down, Bill then proceeded to eat one more fish, just before he and the rest of the guys exited the bar, just seconds before the police arrived.”

Bill grew up in White Bear Lake, Minn. with his mother and two sisters.  He played baseball until he couldn’t hit the curve and football until his 5’ 9” stature and lack of speed made a future career in either sport highly unlikely. When he tried hockey, it was like football on ice for him and he thrived as he became a feared and fierce competitor.

At the University of Minnesota, Butters also played for Glen Sonmor, a coach also known for his tough character. Former NHL star Reed Larson recalls the day he was first introduced to Butters. While being recruited by the U and having been asked to attend the Gopher game versus Colorado College, Larson found himself sitting at the old Mariucci arena right behind the Colorado bench.

“In the old Mariucci Arena, the recruits would sit right behind the opponents bench, with just a bar separating the visiting team and the first row,” Larson recalled.

What happened next was classic Butters. Larson witnessed him not just take on a player, but the entire CC team.

According to Larson, the game became chippy and Butters was ejected for fighting. But before leaving the ice, Butters skated to the visitors’ bench and challenged the Tigers to a fight.

“When no one came on the ice, Billy jumped into the player’s bench with both fists flying,” Larson said. “I was shocked, but then started to reach and grab the Colorado College guys from behind, trying to help Bill out.”

An inspirational leader

Butters made a name for himself as a tough guy who was all about putting the team first. His senior year, although not the most talented player, Butters was named captain of the Gophers. When others are asked to describe Bill in one word, the most common response is inspirational.

Former teammate and 1980 Olympian Buzz Schneider recalls “I was a freshman and Bill was the senior captain of the Gophers. Bill was the ultimate team guy, I just loved playing with him and having him as a captain.”

Butters’ notorious reputation across the WCHA drew the ire of many an opposing fan. Former Gopher great Rob Harris recalls all 8,100 at the old Dane County Coliseum repeatedly chanting “Billieeee Buuutterrrs.”

“Bill would have his hands high saying bring it on,” Harris said. “The ironic thing is the chant continued the following year, even though Butters was no longer playing for us.”

Former NHL “Enforcers” Bill Butters and Jack Carlson (photo by HBF staff)

Fighting for a job

Butters desire was to play professional hockey. At that time, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins were winning championships through toughness and intimidation, and he  figured the only way he was going to make it as a professional player was to have that same level of toughness.

Butters signed a professional contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs before moving on to the fledgling World Hockey Association. His  job as a professional hockey player was  to protect the more skilled players, playing just outside the rules, as an enforcer in an era that was known for its bullies.  Butters was known for being a tough guy, having been in over 100 hockey fights with over 240 stitches in his face.

Butters would play 7 years as a professional including 217  games in the WHA, playing with the likes of Goldie Howe, and another 72 games in the NHL.  He amassed 607 minutes in his 289 pro contests. Although he had hoped to play for many more years, his career came to an end when he was informed that his services were no longer needed.

At 30 years of age, Butters did not know what he was going to do.

Bill Butters’ transformation is truly from sinner to saint. It’s fitting that one of the pro teams he played for was the character-filled Minnesota Fighting Saints. Butters in his previous life could best be described as a self-destructive wild child.

Bill has always been a character but, as Brooks noted, it’s not the same as having character. Bill would be the first to admit he made mistakes along the way, but in life you don’t get a rewind button.

Upgrades, on the other hand, are allowed.

The turning point

Legendary South St. Paul girls hockey coach Dave Palmquist summed it up best.

“Bill Butters is a man of faith,” said Palmquist, the state’s all-time leader in wins among girls’ high school coaches. “His story is a great story of transformation in turning his life over to Jesus Christ and from one making very poor choices, to now the man who is looked up to and held in the highest respect.”

What changed Bill was his encounter with Jesus Christ when, in a prayer huddle as an instructor at a hockey ministries camp, he came to the realization of where he was at and where he was going.

In Bill’s own words from his short autobiographical booklet entitled Out of the Penalty Box Butters tells his story of his own transformation:

“I went back home to Minnesota to look for a job, and even though I had attended college for four years, I had not completed my degree, so I had trouble finding employment.”

Then a friend, a long-time pro hockey player named Tom Reid called me and asked if I would like to help at a youth hockey camp. At first I agreed saying that I could use the money. Tom told me that this was a Christian camp and I would be working as a volunteer. I told Tom that I would not come. I hung up the phone, but Tom was persistent calling me again and again. For some reason I agreed to work at the camp.

At the camp I saw young boys and pro players having fun, singing songs and studying the Word of God. No one was swearing, fighting or other things I had witnessed in boys that age. In one of the large group meetings the song leader looked at me (assuming that all of the pro instructors at the camp were Christians) and sang, “Oh Billy do you love Jesus?” I was supposed to respond “Oh yes I love Jesus.” My face started getting red and my eyes welled up with tears. I was embarrassed, not so much because I didn’t know the song, but because I didn’t know who the song was about. During the meeting, Chico Resch, a pro goalie, got up and told how Jesus had changed his life. I had never heard anyone talk about a personal relationship with Christ before that time.

Later we broke into small huddle groups. At the end, the counselor said we were going to close in prayer and whoever wanted to, could pray. The counselor prayed, the boy next to him prayed and then each boy in the circle prayed. They were heading in my direction and I was nervous because I had never prayed before and I didn’t know what to say.

All of a sudden a calmness came over me and I started to listen to the boys prayers. Each boy was praying for me. The Holy Spirit used those prayers and those 11 and 12 year old boys were showing me the love of Jesus Christ. I was there teaching them how to play hockey; and they were there teaching me how to love.

They prayed that I would find peace in my life, employment, and that I would know Jesus as my Savior. I went back to my room, got down on my knees and asked Christ into my life. I admitted that I was a sinner and that I needed Him to help me turn away from the sinful life I was living.

When I came home from camp, I knew Christ had changed me. I told my wife about my becoming a Christian. I told her that at camp, I had asked God for forgiveness. I also then told her of all my shortcomings and how I had not always been faithful, and asked for her forgiveness. After some time, my wife saw the change in my life was real and her faith allowed her to forgive me. Jesus Christ had restored our marriage.”

This real transformation that has lasted over 30 years is miraculous. Butters exemplifies the traits associated with Christ and the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5: 22-25 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

A legacy of honor

Butters has consistently shown these positive traits to hockey players of all ages, from the eight-year-old camper at the Hockey Ministries camp, to coaching high school and college players, all the way to working with the NHL’s veteran players and coaching staffs.

Current Gopher assistant coach Mike Guentzel recalls joining the Minnesota coaching staff in 1994 and having the opportunity to be mentored by Butters for a season. Besides sharing advice on coaching and life, the one comment that really stuck out  is, “The team from the East that wears red is a team we can never lose to.”

The ironic thing is that the hockey world is pretty small, and a decade and a half later, Butters joined Mike Eaves’ staff as an assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin. He began poaching the talent pool of the top prospects in Minnesota, including former Minnesota Mr. Hockey, Grant Besse. The former Benilde-St. Margaret’s star, who scored five goals in the 2013 state championship game, three of them shorthanded, is now starring for the Badgers.

Butters has come a long way from the day Herb Brooks called him out for his character.  Besse said that was the trait which stood out in Butters throughout the recruiting process that factored heavily in his decision to sign with Wisconsin.

“I knew Bill was sincere and really cared about me as a person and had my own best interest in mind,” Besse said.

Besse was one of several hockey dignitaries attending the event in Butters’ honor to offer their thoughts and recollections on their encounters with him over the years.

Several Minnesota Gophers including Kyle Rau, Brady Skjei and Justin Kloos said the thing that comes to mind when thinking of Bill Butters is his present work with Hockey Ministries and how he makes himself available.

“It is much more than talking hockey,” noted Rau. “Bill talks to us about life and making the right choices and how to deal with all of the pressures of life.  We greatly appreciate Bill taking the time to help us out.”

One Tough Foursome -Bill Butters, Jack Carlson, Murray Rudisell and Sean Goldsworthy (photo by HBF Staff)

St. Olaf men’s hockey coach Sean Goldsworthy, a close friend of Butters stated, “The transformation of Bill Butters is nothing short of miraculous. Bill has translated his passion and loyalty for his teammates, to now living for Christ in the hockey community. His love for people is evident in his soft heart, unconditional love, and kindness for people wanting to know more about living for Christ. His toughness is now represented in love.”

Former Gopher and NHL star Chris McCalpine talked fondly in saying, “Bill recruited me and was like a father figure, not just to me, but all of the guys, teaching us how to treat people, and the game. He helped many of us advance our career and is a major reason why I was able to play in the NHL. I just think the world of Bill.”

Minnesota Wild head coach Mike Yeo added, “I had heard about Bill before I arrived here, and have now gotten to know him personally. During the season when things weren’t going well, getting texts from Bill meant a lot to me. His work with the chapel and helping others has meant a lot to me and many other individuals.”

Wild forward Ryan Carter thought so highly of Butters, his coach at White Bear Lake High School, that he asked him to officiate as the minister at his wedding. “Bill Butters has been a selfless individual for as long as I have known him. Bill has always thought about what is in the best interest of others. And when I was considering going  to play Junior A hockey instead of high school, Bill took me aside and went through how I was a person who really cared about my family, that it wasn’t necessary to play juniors, and he was absolutely right. It gave me the leadership skills that helped get me to the NHL playing with the Wild, I can’t thank Bill enough for all he has done.”

The 2015 Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame Award is a fitting tribute to Butters’ lasting hockey legacy and Brooks would be proud of how far he has come, and all of the hearts and lives that he has touched.  If you would like to learn more about Hockey Ministries Int’l check out: hockeyministries.org .

Bill Butters – Herb Brooks Foundation 2015 Hall of Fame inductee (photo by Herb Brooks Foundation staff)

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Blaine, Minn. (June 2, 2015) — The Annual Herb Brooks Foundation’s annual Golf Classic, scheduled for Friday June 12, at Victory Links Golf Course on the campus of the National Sports Center in Blaine, is the most important annual fund raiser for the Foundation. But it has also developed into a who’s-who of North American hockey, with numerous NHL and college players and coaches attending the various events, as well as members of the 1980 Miracle-on-Ice Olympic Team.

Proceeds raised by the tournament will support the Foundation’s mission to grow the game of hockey. Over 150 golfers are expected to play, with additional attendees participating in the banquet that follows the golf tournament.

Some of the hockey celebrities who have confirmed participation include 1980 Olympians Dave Christian, John Harrington, Neal Broten, Buzz Schneider, Dave Christian and Rob McClanahan. The Minnesota Wild will be represented by coach Mike Yeo, players Ryan Carter and Keith Ballard, and recent signee Zach Palmquist. Gophers players who have committed include Mike Reilly, Kyle Rau, Seth Ambrose and Christian Isaacson. Other NHL players who will participate include the Flyers’ Mark Alt and recent Los Angeles Kings signee Jonny Brodzinski.

The centerpiece of the banquet that follows golf is the induction of this year’s addition to the Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors those individuals who have significantly contributed to growing the game of hockey, the mission of the Herb Brooks Foundation.

The 2015 Hall of Fame honoree will be Bill Butters, a Minnesota hockey icon who played in the World Hockey Association, National Hockey League and coached at various levels. After retiring from hockey, Butters has assumed a leadership role with Hockey Ministries International and in that role has mentored many young hockey players.

Last year’s Hall of Fame honoree was Chuck Grillo, former player, NHL scout and general manager and owner-operator of the Minnesota Hockey Camps, a summer youth hockey camp based in Nisswa, Minn.

Past inductees into the Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame have been Janet Marvin; Jim McDonough; Cal, Tut and Jack Marvin; Rudy Krampotich; Stan Hubbard and Wes Barette and Larry Hendrickson.

The post Herb Brooks Foundation Golf Classic on June 12 featuring many dignitaries appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Boucha called his time playing for Glen Sonmor as some of the best years he ever played and the Minnesota Fighting Saints team that Somor put together was the best hockey team he had ever played on. To emphasize just how talented this team was, Boucha recalled one game in Phoenix, “We were slow starting out and about midway through the second period were down 6-0. One of the guys said let’s see what we are made of, and we decided to pick it up a notch, and ended up coming back to win 7-6.”

Boucha recalled playing on the team with some of the stars of the team that included David Keon, Johnny “Pie” McKenzie, Mike “Shaky” Walton, Wayne Connolly with Mike Curran and Carl Wetzel tending goal along with Minnesotan’s Keith Christiansen, George Konik, Pat Westrum, Dick Paradise and, of course, Carlson and Butters.

“I have no doubt in my mind that, in a seven-game series, we would have beat the North Stars,” Boucha said confidently.

Butters, now serving as a full time pastor for Hockey Ministries International to serve the hockey community and hockey players, was known for his toughness as a player. According to former Gopher teammate Brad Morrow, Butters was without fear and recalled one fight where he took on a whole team.

“We were playing Colorado College and Billy just went nuts,” Morrow recalled as if it were yesterday. “When he skated over in front of the CC’s player bench taunting the entire team for a fight, when no one came out, Butters jumped over the boards and into the CC players box and then just started swinging, taking on the whole team”.

Morrow is still amazed on the turnabout that Butters has made from one of the toughest rowdiest players he had ever played with to one who is now all about his Christian Ministry.

Carlson, who has also had a major change of character, was known as a fierce hockey fighter who took on the toughest NHL fighters and stood up for his teammates. Ironically, he now can be found as a referee in the Adult Hockey League as well as doing local youth games. Carlson, whose brothers appeared in the hockey movie “Slap Shot” as the Hanson brothers would have been in the movie if not for his playing for the North Stars. The movie, about a fictional professional team in Charlestown, Penn. named the Chiefs whose antics were more thuggery than hockey, was a studio success and featured Paul Newman as its leading man.

Sonmor’s style of coaching was always tough, physically tough. Sonmor had mentors that reflected that mentality. He recalled playing with the legendary John Mariucci for the old Minneapolis Millers, and when it came time for the championship series with Omaha, the Millers GM told the players that it was now up to them.

Mariucci told the guys that in order to win the best of 5 championship series, they would need to take only one game in Omaha, as he was convinced they would win two in Minneapolis on their small sheet of ice. Sonmor recalls literally beating the crap out of the Omaha team the first night, then winning the next three, as the Omaha team played scared the rest of the series. After a serious eye injury, Sonmor made the successful transition from player to coach.

Mariucci’s influence, along with Sonmor’s own physical style, created a coach that just loved the physical game. Sonmor did not disappoint as a general manager either, when in the mid 70’s, the World Hockey Association was birthed, giving St. Paul a franchise, Sonmor did a masterful job in creating one of the best hockey line ups ever to play in the state. At the outset, the Saints had a policy of favoring local players, with the 1972–73 roster featuring no fewer than 11 athletes who were either born in Minnesota or American citizens. This was almost unheard of in the early 1970s, when few NHL or WHA teams had even a single American player..

After starting out as GM and coach, Sonmor handed the coaching reins to Harry Neale. The team put on a far more entertaining show with the Saints games consistently outdrawing their cross city rival Minnesota North Stars. The league in many ways was very futuristic, and took out the center red line for a much faster game that took the NHL almost 25 years to figure out.

The interesting fact with the three men who visited Sonmor on Saturday Dec. 14, was they also played for the North Stars. In fact, Carlson was involved with the turn around, as with the Cleveland Barons folding in the 1978 season and merging with the North Stars, the team had an infusion of talent. Glen’s long-time friend and new North Star GM Lou Nanne, then took a bold step and told management that they needed a new coach, and that coach needed to be Sonmor. The problem was that Sonmor was successful in the WHA, and the NHL and the North Star ownership at that time did not want anything to do with Sonmor.

Sonmor recalled Nanne the negotiator, “Lou knew when he had the upper hand, and always won when he had the upper hand as he was one of the best there was in getting what he wanted.” In this case, Nanne held firm, as he knew the Gunds and the ownership knew they needed to make a change in the culture of the team.

Sonmor did just that, turning around what was considered a soft team into a team that battled the way the hardened Sonmor only knew. By adding tough guys and character people, the Stars were no longer going to be the team that other teams pushed around.

To prove his point, as the Stars were approaching making the playoffs and lining up against the rugged Boston Bruins, two months before in a late February game, the fiery Sonmor came into the locker room prior to the game and said tonight is the night we make our stand. Sonmor recalls telling the team “I don’t care what the score is at the end of the game, but by the time this game is over, Boston will know they won’t be able to push us around anymore. At the first time, not the second or the third, but the first time they pull any intimidating move, WE WILL RESPOND.”

Six seconds into the game, Bruins center Steve Kasper brushed his stick into Bobby Smith’s face. Smith, known as a gentle giant, and a smooth goal-scoring playmaker, dropped Kasper with a few hard rights to Caspers head. According to Sonmor, the first period had over 400 minutes in penalties, and at the end of the game, Carlson recalls both teams having only 7 or 8 skaters left, as the rest of the team was already tossed out for fighting.

The North Stars may have lost that game, but the key was they had stopped the endless losing in Boston as just two months later, the Stanley Cup series would start and have the Stars facing the Bruins in Boston for the first two games. The Stars would win both games in overtime before heading back to the Met where they would take the series leading to their improbable run to the Stanley Cup.

It is with great memories and fondness that the hockey community reaches out in prayers and visits the ailing Sonmor as all know that Sonmor would do the same for them. It is obvious that Sonmor appreciates all the kindness that is being expressed in his time of need.

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Bill Butters (Photo: University of Wisconsin Athletics)

Former University of Minnesota player and assistant coach Bill Butters has stepped down from his assistant coaching position at Wisconsin according to a statement released by the school.  Badgers coach Mike Eaves said the decision is effective immediately and ends Butters’ tenure at Wisconsin after just over two seasons.

“I can’t thank Bill enough for the time he spent with our program,” Eaves said in the release. “He has decided that it is in his best interest to return home to Minnesota to be with his family and to pursue other passions in his life. Bill is a good friend and a great hockey man. He has had a long and successful career in the game and, though I’m sad to see him go, I’m happy he will be able to move onto this next chapter in his life.”

Butters, who spent five seasons in the WHA skating with Minnesota, Houston, Edmonton and New England and later played 72 games over two seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, said he believes it is time for him to move on from coaching.

“I have appreciated Coach Eaves’ support and friendship as I have come to this conclusion,” said Butters who was a teammate of Eaves in his final year of pro hockey with Oklahoma City of the CHL. “Mike and I believe it will be in the best interests of both myself and the program if I take this step and return to my family and continue to develop the other pursuits on my horizon.

“It has been a fantastic opportunity to coach our players and work with the staff at Wisconsin.”

Prior to his arrival at Wisconsin, Butters staffed and coached hockey camps for Hockey Ministries International and served as head coach of White Bear Lake High School’s varsity hockey team.

The post Butters steps down as Wisconsin assistant appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.