By Andrew Allsman| Posted: July 16, 2014| Contact |
Chaminade Prep continues to churn out more than its fair
share of National Hockey League players, two of which have landed with the Blues in the
past few weeks. First, it was Paul Stastny on July 1. Now, a little over two
weeks later, the Blues announce that they have signed another former Chaminade Prep
player in defenseman Chris Butler.
Butler, 27, signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Blues
on Wednesday afternoon. Being a two-way contract, the parameters of the
deal include two different levels of compensation. In the American Hockey League, Butler will make $400,000,
while in the NHL, the defenseman will earn $650,000.
The new deal is worth substantially less than the former
unrestricted free agent’s $1.7 million deal with the Flames last season. That deal
was also a one-way deal, which is nearly a 100-percent guarantee of an NHL roster spot. But
with the Blues, Butler will have no such guarantee.
While Butler will have a shot at making the NHL club in training camp, there is a strong likelihood that he will see time with the Chicago Wolves to start the season, as the Blues currently have seven NHL defensemen on one-way deals. However, how Butler performs in camp will help to determine how soon he is sporting the Note on his chest.
The newest Blue has a wealth of NHL experience, having split six NHL seasons between Buffalo and
Calgary. Butler was drafted by the Sabres in 2005 and was traded to the Flames in
2011. Altogether, the defenseman has played in 349 NHL games, accumulating 75
points.
The St. Louis native is coming off of a 16-point season with
the Flames. He was the only Caalgary player to dress in all 82 games last
season, and averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game with the club.
Butler didn’t
generate substantial interest via free agency this offseason, but the Blues,
who were in desperate need of defensive depth, gradually increased their
interest in the defenseman as the offseason aged, according to the St. Louis
Post Dispatch.
After next season, Butler will, once again, be an unrestricted free agent.