USA Hockey announced its roster for the 2018 Olympics during Monday’s Winter Classic, and while there is no shortage of great stories surrounding the athletes chosen to compete in PyeongChang, one stood out.
Bobby Butler, who starred at Marlborough High and the University of New Hampshire, was selected to the team. The moment he informed his father, John, that he would be an Olympian was captured on video by Butler’s present team, the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League and posted on Twitter.
TFW you tell your dad that you’ve made the US Olympic Team #TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/ASoOYYXS4Z
— Milwaukee Admirals (@mkeadmirals) January 1, 2018
While practicing for the Admirals, Butler skated over to the bench and motioned for his father to come over. Butler then delivers the good news, while his Milwaukee teammates cheer. Butler and his father share a hug. John coached Bobby during his 25-year stint as Marlborough High’s coach, retiring in 2010.
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It’s a great accomplishment for Butler, who in 2010 was named Hockey East Player of the Year while at UNH and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. At UNH, he had 61 goals and 60 assists, including 29 goals and 24 assists his senior year.
Butler last played in the NHL in 2014 for the Florida Panthers. He played in the KHL in the 2016-17 season.
The US men’s Olympic team will be captained by former Boston College star Brian Gionta, who has played 1,006 regular-season games and captained both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres in his NHL career. He is the lone player on the roster with Olympic experience, having played for Team USA in 2006.
Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney