Chris Butler Discussion: Sign, or Walk?

[Homeslice]

Put me in the camp for re-signing him to a reasonable contract b/c:

a.) he can log good minutes,
b.) he has made less mistakes than last year,
c.) injuries happen,
d.) makes the young guys push for his spot and if they can't beat Butler, they don't deserve to stay up,
e.) I keep hearing that he's a one of the best guys in the room, jokester, fun guy to be around, which make a big difference as we've seen with McGrattan.

[sa226]

I think he is exactly the type of free agent we would sign anyway. Cheap, average veteran to help take pressure off of the kids.

I don't think there are any Prongers on the market and we shouldn't be throwing money at the Widemans of the league.

I would be surprised if we didn't re-sign him.

He seemed to get better as the team got better. So that is a positive sign as well.

[Muta]

He elevated his play this year to 'unnoticeable', which is a good thing. Given our lack of depth in that position, I don't have a problem with him coming back. He knows the system, he's familiar with the team and the city... why not.

[Erick Estrada]

Another plus is he can skate well. I don't want to go back to the physical, plodding vets in the bottom pairings that can't skate.

[Fire]

Replace him with Matt Greene. Use Wotherspoon as the first call-up.

[Stay Golden]

Butler was 2nd in the NHL for blocked shots because he constantly let his his man in the zone. He will never learn you play the damn blue line you defend at the blue line.
Then to top it off he has become the king of screening his own goalie.
I can't stand him and if he gets resigned it wouldn't surprise me this organization seems to over look his many flaws.
It is such a delight to continuously watch Butler leave his man unchallenged in front of the crease too.
If there was a trap door in the saddle dome that would make him vanish I wish he would find it.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Butler was 2nd in the NHL for blocked shots because he constantly let his his man in the zone. He will never learn you play the damn blue line you defend at the blue line.
Then to top it off he has become the king of screening his own goalie.
I can't stand him and if he gets resigned it wouldn't surprise me this organization seems to over look his many flaws.
It is such a delight to continuously watch Butler leave his man unchallenged in front of the crease too.
If there was a trap door in the saddle dome that would make him vanish I wish he would find it.

Kind of unhealthy to have this much dislike for a player that is by all accounts a good teammate and well liked in the locker room. We aren't talking about a 6 minute a game 4th liner here that can't play we are talking about a 20 minute guy that put his body on the line in front of shooters all season long. I don't expect you to like him but I think he deserves better than your post.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Kind of unhealthy to have this much dislike for a player that is by all accounts a good teammate and well liked in the locker room. We aren't talking about a 6 minute a game 4th liner here that can't play we are talking about a 20 minute guy that put his body on the line in front of shooters all season long. I don't expect you to like him but I think he deserves better than your post.

823rd in the league in +- is a whole lot of suck.
Being 16th last in the league for a category that especially D men every season take pride in not sucking is an outstanding accomplishment by this unbelievable Norris candidate.
5th worst in the entire league is something Butler can be very proud of.
It has been said stats don't lie. So what this stat does???
I suppose his 2 goals counters his 823rd placement of failure is that right.
Maybe we should have 4 more Butlers so we can guarantee dead last.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

823rd in the league in +- is a whole lot of suck.
Being 16th last in the league for a category that especially D men every season take pride in not sucking is an outstanding accomplishment by this unbelievable Norris candidate.
5th worst in the entire league is something Butler can be very proud of.
Maybe we should have 4 more Butlers so we can guarantee dead last.
Butler is joke.

Butler's +/- stat is a #### statistic compared to his blocked shots and being 2nd in the NHL in it. That's right, 2nd in the NHL. And for most of the season, he was playing lesser minutes than the top 4.

He is a 5/6 defenseman, I don't know what your hate is on him.

[Caged Great]

With the Flames likely having a tough time hitting the floor next year, signing a better D-man might be a way to hit it.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Butler's +/- stat is a #### statistic compared to his blocked shots and being 2nd in the NHL in it. That's right, 2nd in the NHL. And for most of the season, he was playing lesser minutes than the top 4.

He is a 5/6 defenseman, I don't know what your hate is on him.

Why do I need justify my like or dislike for this clown. He needs to justify why his +- is toilet water. He needs to justify to his team why oops I forgot to clear my man from out front of the net again and oops he tipped a goal in....again.


2nd in the league in blocked shots...my bad its not 823rd in the league it is even worse 871st out of 886 players. That truly is stellar.

Oh but I forgot it is his goal scoring that makes him a must have

[Gaskal]

Let him back Ramo up.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Why do I need justify my like or dislike for this clown. He needs to justify why his +- is toilet water. He needs to justify to his team why oops I forgot to clear my man from out front of the net again and oops he tipped a goal in....again.


2nd in the league in blocked shots...my bad its not 823rd in the league it is even worse 871st out of 886 players. That truly is stellar.

Oh but I forgot it is his goal scoring that makes him a must have

Seriously, did someone burst your bubble today? It's not like we are considering him long-term, it would only be a 1 or 2 year deal. He is in his defensive prime years, and I think you and I can agree that he played a whole lot better during the second half of the season along with everyone else. He is learning the system better, I think he is now understanding the role of keeping the play simple. From what I have heard he is a great locker room guy, and you got to have people like that on your team.

Of course, last year and the beginning of this year i thought that we should be done with Butler, but he has proven that he deserves an extension at a reasonable price. He likes Calgary and is willing to play for them again.

"I forgot to clear my man from out front of the net again and oops he tipped a goal in....again"

You do realize TJ Brodie did a few of these the last few games, does this make him a bad defenseman? Absolutely not.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Seriously, did someone burst your bubble today? It's not like we are considering him long-term, it would only be a 1 or 2 year deal. He is in his defensive prime years, and I think you and I can agree that he played a whole lot better during the second half of the season along with everyone else. He is learning the system better, I think he is now understanding the role of keeping the play simple. From what I have heard he is a great locker room guy, and you got to have people like that on your team.

Of course, last year and the beginning of this year i thought that we should be done with Butler, but he has proven that he deserves an extension at a reasonable price. He likes Calgary and is willing to play for them again.

"I forgot to clear my man from out front of the net again and oops he tipped a goal in....again"

You do realize TJ Brodie did a few of these the last few games, does this make him a bad defenseman? Absolutely not.

Today lol. I have spoken out against this chumpstain since his first month with the Flames 3 unfortunate seasons ago. And btw we are not talking about Brodie. Butler has been the league for 6 years and is still horrible.
You know what the Oilers suck enough the Canucks really need Butler. That squid Torts really needs Butler, I really need to see that happen.

[the2bears]

I reserve this kind of hatred for a d-bag like Burrows, not someone on the team I cheer for. This is too damn over the top.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by the2bears

I reserve this kind of hatred for a d-bag like Burrows, not someone on the team I cheer for. This is too damn over the top.

Yes to say I hate Butler even though he is a Flame is 100% accurate, you know why because we deserve better than that. We deserve better than any D man like Butler.
I want the best for the Flames and Butler isn't that.
Everytime the Flames were scored on I was pissed but then content that if that turd Butler was on the ice for another - Because I knew that this fool was working his way closer and closer to the bottom of the league one game at time.
And hopefully off the team for 2014-15.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Yes to say I hate Butler even though he is a Flame is 100% accurate, you know why because we deserve better than that. We deserve better than any D man like Butler.
I want the best for the Flames and Butler isn't that.
Everytime the Flames were scored on I was pissed but then content that if that turd Butler was on the ice for another - Because I knew that this fool was working his way closer and closer to the bottom of the league one game at time.
And hopefully off the team for 2014-15.

But, but...he's 2nd in blocked shots! That's right 2nd!

Butler can walk the plank, Captains orders

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Kind of unhealthy to have this much dislike for a player that is by all accounts a good teammate and well liked in the locker room. We aren't talking about a 6 minute a game 4th liner here that can't play we are talking about a 20 minute guy that put his body on the line in front of shooters all season long. I don't expect you to like him but I think he deserves better than your post.

LOL, oh really?

[gvitaly]

We are 24th in the league in GA. Butler leads the team in giveaways, shots against, and he is 2nd in Team GA. If all the team bought in, and the forwards do help with the defensive assignments how do we improve our GA?

At this point, I think its more of "You are the Weakest Link: goodbye!".

Enough looking at average players with rose colored glasses. We have enough average on this team, we need defenseman that will spark this team with their play. It doesn't have to be goals, it can be hits, leadership, or making the front of our net a nightmare. Yes his blocked shots are impressive, but if you stand enough time in front of your own net without the puck, the puck will hit you.

So yes I changed my opinion from the beginning of this thread, and I don't even want Butler as a stopgap on the blue line anymore. That is mostly because I don't remember seeing even one spark in Butler's eyes throughout the season... maybe that's what bugs me(I just couldn't pinpoint it before). I want our player to get angry when we get scored on, not treat it like another day at the office.

[Miniac]

Just as a side note, Butler was the only Flame to play all 82 games. Brodie 81, Colborne 80, and Bouma 78GP.

http://flames.nhl.com/club/stats.htm...0132014&srt=gp