[Signing] Butler signs in St. Louis, 1 year 2 way $650k NHL/$400k AHL

[getbak]

Stastny is a fan of the signing: https://twitter.com/PaulyWalnuts26/s...60995141271552

Paul Stastny ‏@PaulyWalnuts26

My boy @TheButler44 coming to the Lou! What a player, what a beast!!! Great signing @StLouisBlues #DU

[sun]

Man, I still cannot believe the amount of time that Sutter had him playing with Bouwmeester on the top pairing. Boggles the mind. That was insane!

[trackercowe]

I guess this all but proves that Butler was practically untradeable at the deadline.

[manilow78]

Watched only four games at the dome this past season but saw an awful lot of Butler giveaways in those games. Calgary definitely will have better options in the future.

[FAN]

Wow. I predicted that Butler will find himself out of the NHL by age 30 when we first acquired him, but I doubted that with happen after years of playing 20+ minutes again.

I really don't get this at all. This is just a weird contract. Only explanation is that nobody was willing to offer him a one way deal and this was the best he could do. Otherwise, I get that he wants to play close to home. But the Blues' affiliate is in Chicago and he has to get past waivers in order to be sent to the farm. What is he going to do if another team picks him up? Is he confident that no team would want him? Why sign a 2 way contract for $250K difference in salary if he isn't protecting himself in case he gets sent down to the farm?

[calgarywinning]

I think Sutter may be into astronumerology. The 4's aligned and this made it okay. To be truthful, the Butler really worked hard for the last 2/3'rds of the season. He was hustling, making some plays unlike any we've seen. He really did improve so I will have to give that to him.

Doesn't make up for some of the really bad giveaways he made though.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by FAN

Wow. I predicted that Butler will find himself out of the NHL by age 30 when we first acquired him, but I doubted that with happen after years of playing 20+ minutes again.

I really don't get this at all. This is just a weird contract. Only explanation is that nobody was willing to offer him a one way deal and this was the best he could do. Otherwise, I get that he wants to play close to home. But the Blues' affiliate is in Chicago and he has to get past waivers in order to be sent to the farm. What is he going to do if another team picks him up? Is he confident that no team would want him? Why sign a 2 way contract for $250K difference in salary if he isn't protecting himself in case he gets sent down to the farm?

Or Feaster told him he can crack St Louis' lineup and that he'd still make that deal for Robyn Regehr any day of the week.

[playmaker]

Man, top pairing dmen and 1st line centres are really cheap these days:

Chris Butler $650,000
Blake Comeau $700,000
David Moss $800,000

[doctajones428]

I didn't mind him as a 4th Dman, but he should do well as a 6/7. Sad to see that he got a 2-way deal though

[Poe969]

so either he really wanted to be in St. Louis and took a two way league minimum contract to be there or no one else wanted him. I guess all the contracts he was considering were from the KHL. Just proves how bad he was and how over rated he was by some.

[Flames89]

Now that's how you chase a potential cup opportunity. Whatever it takes.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by united

Not at all surprising. Chris was set on signing for the Blues if they would find a way to take him. If not, he would've signed for the team closest to Missouri who would take him.

He's putting life above money (assuming someone else would've signed him for more/one-way) and as a bonus has a chance to win. He's a great, well-liked guy but mediocre hockey player.

Can you elaborate on why he's so set on playing in St. Louis? I get that it's home but it's the prime earnings period of his career and were things really that bad in Buffalo and Calgary that he had to go home in the middle of his career to a team that really doesn't have room? This is a great move by the Blues as there's no risk at all on their side as if he makes the lineup they have a veteran player in his prime for pretty well league minimum salary.

[Resolute 14]

Sometimes, it is about something other than money. "Prime earnings period of his career" or not.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Can you elaborate on why he's so set on playing in St. Louis? I get that it's home but it's the prime earnings period of his career and were things really that bad in Buffalo and Calgary that he had to go home in the middle of his career to a team that really doesn't have room? This is a great move by the Blues as there's no risk at all on their side as if he makes the lineup they have a veteran player in his prime for pretty well league minimum salary.

The whole Chris Butler won't re-sign with the Flames thread was based of some info someone had that He wanted to move closer to home, and to the US for sure.

Don't know what the sources where but they seem to have been right.

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Can you elaborate on why he's so set on playing in St. Louis? I get that it's home but it's the prime earnings period of his career and were things really that bad in Buffalo and Calgary that he had to go home in the middle of his career to a team that really doesn't have room? This is a great move by the Blues as there's no risk at all on their side as if he makes the lineup they have a veteran player in his prime for pretty well league minimum salary.

How much more than 600,000 do you think Butler would have made elsewhere?

I guess maybe if he goes to say Nashville/Florida or whatever bottom feeder with a roster spot he gets a chance to "show what he can do" but as we have seen in his time in Calgary, and the league has shown with the lack of offers, Butler playing more games/minutes may not be a good move for his career.

He did 4 years of college and if he actually did anything (which is possible as he wasn't some stud recruit) and his wife being a vet (I am fairly certain that was reported and why she wants to go to US) he should be just fine financially especially since his prime earning period isn't going to be all that much (for a pro athlete.)

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Sometimes, it is about something other than money. "Prime earnings period of his career" or not.

I understand that but it's only a one year deal so it's far from secure. It's just something we never see in professional sports in a guy that is willing to take league minimum for a spot that isn't even guaranteed as he could end up being placed on waivers and picked up by Edmonton and have to play out the year there at near league min salary. It's admirable that he's willing to take this risk to show the Blues he's good enough to warrant a permanent position but usually free agency the player has control of his destination but Butler signed a deal where his ultimate destination isn't in his control. Sure he can play well and have a great camp but due to politics the Blues can still choose to put him on waivers.

For the record I don't have any issues with his decision as it will make for an interesting story but it's a little risky.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Read Only

How much more than 600,000 do you think Butler would have made elsewhere?

Well that's the whole thing as we don't know how much he could have made on the market as he obviously never considered anything other than going to St. Louis. It sounds to me that he could have very well received offers in the range of what he was making with the Flames or higher but hell or high water was determined he would only go to one place and money be damned.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Can you elaborate on why he's so set on playing in St. Louis? I get that it's home but it's the prime earnings period of his career and were things really that bad in Buffalo and Calgary that he had to go home in the middle of his career to a team that really doesn't have room? This is a great move by the Blues as there's no risk at all on their side as if he makes the lineup they have a veteran player in his prime for pretty well league minimum salary.

Will the NHLPA give their blessing to the contract?

Butler was the Flames alternative rep on the NHLPA Executive board.....


I thought that when Iginlia was talking about signing a home town discount contract to be a Flame for life the NHLPA was pressuring him to go for the market rate so as not to be used as a comparable for other elite contracts.

Does this contract have any impact on the rest of the 4/5/6/7 D-men?

Is Russell worth 4 times as much as Butler?

Does it establish non essential UFAs ( Stempniak, Sarich, Galiardi, Westgarth, O'Brien) will have to sign for?

[Read Only]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well that's the whole thing as we don't know how much he could have made on the market as he obviously never considered anything other than going to St. Louis. It sounds to me that he could have very well received offers in the range of what he was making with the Flames or higher but hell or high water was determined he would only go to one place and money be damned.

I missed where it was St. Louis or nothing.

I thought he went with this offer because there was nothing else better or nothing else so much better that it made sense for him to put it over his overall life happiness.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Does this contract have any impact on the rest of the 4/5/6/7 D-men?

It will have no more impact than Engelland's did.