Stan Butler
Born (1956-02-02) February 2, 1956
East York, Ontario, Canada
Current OHL coach Erie Otters
Coached for
Coaching career 1994present

Stan Butler (born February 2, 1956)[1] is a Canadian ice hockey coach and general manager. He served as the only head coach and general manager in the franchise history of the Brampton Battalion and North Bay Battalion, from 1998 to 2019. He has spent his entire professional coaching career in junior ice hockey, and on two occasions, Butler has also served as the head coach of the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team.

As of the 2018–19 OHL season, he was the longest tenured head coach in the OHL with one team. Butler is fourth all-time with 1,424 OHL games coached. Butler is fifth on the wins list with 672, and is the second-most among active OHL coaches, behind Dale Hunter of the London Knights. After 22 seasons in the Canadian Hockey League, Butler has 700 wins. In 158 OHL playoffs games, Butler has 68 wins and two appearances in the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals.[1] Butler previously coached the Oshawa Generals and Prince George Cougars, and has served as head coach of the Erie Otters since 2023.

Career

Butler began coaching minor ice hockey in 1985 with Wexford and led his peewee, bantam and midget teams to four City of Toronto and three Ontario provincial championships.[1] In 1989 he was named the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association's coach of the year. Butler subsequently coached for the Wexford Raiders in the Metro Junior A Hockey League for 5 seasons from 1989–90 to 1993–94.[2]

Butler broke into the OHL when hired by the Oshawa Generals. In the 1994–95 OHL season the team had a record of 40-21-5 for 85 points and set a CHL record when 10 players were chosen in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.[3] After the 1995–96 OHL season the Generals won 30 games and tallied 68 points.[4]

Butler moved to Prince George, British Columbia, to coach the Prince George Cougars for the 1996–97 WHL season.[4] The Cougars made the playoffs for the first time in seven years,[5] losing in the third round of the Western Hockey League playoffs after defeating the first place Portland Winter Hawks and third place Spokane Chiefs in the first two rounds.

Butler returned to the OHL and began his tenure with the Brampton Battalion as an expansion franchise in the 1998–99 OHL season. The Battalion were led in scoring that season by underage 15–year old Jason Spezza, and fellow future NHL player Raffi Torres.[6] The inaugural Battalion season was one of only two seasons Butler's troops failed to make the playoffs.[4]

In the 15 seasons Butler coached in Brampton, the Battalion won four Central division Emms Trophy titles in 2002–03, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, and one Eastern conference Bobby Orr Trophy title in the 2008–09 OHL season. Butler coached his 1000th game in the OHL on February 10, 2011.[7] Butler was inducted to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.[8]

Butler moved to North Bay with the Battalion for the 2013–14 OHL season and won the Eastern conference Bobby Orr Trophy. Butler earned his 600th victory in the OHL on February 1, 2015, with a 3–2 win against the Niagara IceDogs.[9] Butler earned his 700th victory in the OHL on March 2, 2018, with a 2–1 win against the Mississauga Steelheads.[10]

On December 10, 2019, the team announced that Butler had been reassigned as a special advisor to the team owner. Adam Dennis was named the new general manager, and Ryan Oulahen was named the interim head coach.[11] As of that date, Butler had coached 1,660 games in the Canadian Hockey League, and earned 765 wins. He ranked fourth overall in wins by Ontario Hockey League coaches, behind Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton and Dale Hunter; and ranked third in games coached behind Kilrea and Templeton.[11] Butler spent 22 consecutive seasons with the Battalion, which was the longest single-team-tenure in OHL history as of 2023.[12]

On, January 26, 2023, Butler was announced as head coach of the Erie Otters, pending immigration to the United States.[12] His first game as coach for the Otters was a 5–1 loss versus the London Knights on February 4, 2023.[13]

National coaching duties

He was named an assistant coach for Canada men's national under-18 ice hockey team that won a gold medal at the 1998 Three Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic, and served as head coach of Canada men's national under-18 ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1999 Four Nations tournament in the Czech Republic.[2]

Butler was named an assistant coach to Tom Renney for Canada men's national junior ice hockey team at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Winnipeg. Canada claimed a silver medal, losing to team Russia in the final. Butler returned to the national stage after a year off, as head coach of the Canadian juniors 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships held in Russia. Canada defeated team Sweden in the bronze medal game, with Battalion member Raffi Torres scoring in overtime. Butler returned for a second consecutive stint as head coach of the juniors for 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships held in the Czech Republic. Butler became only the third person in Canadian Hockey Association history to coach the national junior team in consecutive years since the CHA’s Program of Excellence began in 1982.[14] Canada earned a silver medal after losing 5-4 to Russia in the championship game.[15]

Butler returned to international hockey after 13 years, leading the under-18 national team to an eighth straight gold medal at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in the Czech Republic.[16]

Personal life

Butler was born in East York, Ontario.[1] He graduated from Brock University in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in physical education, completed a bachelor's degree in education at the University of Toronto in 1980, and earned his master's degree in education at Brock in 1988.[1]

Butler has two children, Sara and Adam. He cites the desire to have a normal schedule for his children as the reason he never pursued an NHL coaching career.[17]

Coaching record

Canadian Hockey League coaching record[4]

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime Losses; SL = Shootout Losses; PTS = Points

TeamYearLeagueRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLSLPtsFinishResult
Oshawa Generals1994–95OHL 6640215852nd EastLost in division quarter-finals (3-4 vs. PBO)
Oshawa Generals1995–96OHL 6630288684th EastLost in division quarter-finals (1-4 vs. BEL)
Prince George Cougars1996–97WHL 7228395616th WestWon in division quarter-finals (4-2 vs. POR)
Won in division semi-finals (3-0 vs. SPO)
Lost in division finals (2-4 vs. SEA)
Brampton Battalion1998–99OHL 688573195th MidwestDid not qualify
Brampton Battalion1999–2000OHL 682528114653rd MidwestLost in conference quarter-finals (2-4 vs. ERI)
Brampton Battalion2000–01OHL 68332294793rd MidwestWon in conference quarter-finals (4-0 vs. GUE)
Lost in conference semi-finals (1-4 vs. ERI)
Brampton Battalion2001–02OHL 68263552595th MidwestDid not qualify
Brampton Battalion2002–03OHL 68342464781st CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-2 vs. BAR)
Lost in conference semi-finals (1-4 vs. TOR)
Brampton Battalion2003–04OHL 68253292614th CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. OTT)
Lost in conference semi-finals (1-4 vs. TOR)
Brampton Battalion2004–05OHL 68332492773rd CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (2-4 vs. SBY)
Brampton Battalion2005–06OHL 68442112911st CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-2 vs. BEL
Lost in conference semi-finals (1-4 vs. BAR)
Brampton Battalion2006–07OHL 68273614594th CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (0-4 vs. BAR)
Brampton Battalion2007–08OHL 68422213881st CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (1-4 vs. BAR)
Brampton Battalion2008–09OHL 68471911961st CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-0 vs. PBO)
Won in conference semi-finals (4-2 vs. MIS)
Won in conference finals (4-2 vs. BEL)
Lost in J. Ross Robertson Cup (1-4 vs. WSR)
Brampton Battalion2009–10OHL 68252977643rd CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. KGN)
Lost in conference semi-finals (0-4 vs. BAR)
Brampton Battalion2010–11OHL 68293216653rd CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (0-4 vs. NIA)
Brampton Battalion2011–12OHL 68362237823rd CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-0 vs SBY)
Lost in conference semi-finals (0-4 vs. NIA)
Brampton Battalion2012–13OHL 68342536772nd CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (1-4 vs. SBY)
North Bay Battalion2013–14OHL 68382442821st CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. NIA)
Won in conference semi-finals (4-2 vs. BAR)
Won in conference finals (4-0 vs. OSH)
Lost in J. Ross Robertson Cup (1-4 vs. GUE)
North Bay Battalion2014–15OHL 68372065852nd CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-0 vs. KGN)
Won in conference semi-finals (4-1 vs. BAR)
Lost in conference finals (2-4 vs. OSH)
North Bay Battalion2015–16OHL 68352364802nd CentralWon in conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. PBO)
Lost in conference semi-finals (0-4 vs. BAR)
North Bay Battalion2016–17OHL 68243851544th CentralDid not qualify
North Bay Battalion2017–18OHL 68302873703rd CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (1-4 vs. KGN)
North Bay Battalion2018–19OHL 68303332654th CentralLost in conference quarter-finals (1-4 vs. NIA)
North Bay Battalion2019–20OHL 285230010(5th Central)Replaced December 10, 2019
Erie Otters2022–23OHL 2351611125th MidwestDid not qualify
TOTALSOHL161174268265685416715 division titles80-103 (0.437)
TOTALSWHL7228395619-6 (0.600)
TOTALSCHL168377072170685417325 division titles89-109 (0.449)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach". www.battalionhockey.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Stan Butler Team Staff Profile". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  3. "1995 NHL Entry Draft". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Stan Butler". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  5. "Prince George Cougars Statistics and History". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  6. "1998-99 Brampton Battalion roster and statistics". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  7. "Butler's Battalion wins his 1,000th". www.ontariohockeyleague.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  8. "2012 Brampton Sports Hall of Fame inductees". www.bramptonguardian.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  9. "Butler claims 600th OHL victory". www.ontariohockeyleague.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  10. "Battalion's Butler earns 700th OHL victory". Ontario Hockey League. March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Battalion announce changes to hockey operations". Ontario Hockey League. December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Stan Butler to be named 10th coach in Otters franchise history". Ontario Hockey League. January 26, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  13. "Late penalty trouble dooms Otters in front of sold out Erie Insurance Arena". Erie Otters. February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  14. "Stan Butler to return as Head Coach of Canada's National Junior Team". www.hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  15. resultsArchived March 3, 2003, at the Wayback Machine
  16. U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial
  17. "Wins piling up for North Bay's Stan Butler". www.therecord.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
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