Bill Butters will be honored by the Herb Brooks Foundation and enter Hall of Fame
Blaine, Minn. (June 2, 2015) — The Annual Herb Brooks Foundation’s annual Golf Classic, scheduled for Friday June 12, at Victory Links Golf Course on the campus of the National Sports Center in Blaine, is the most important annual fund raiser for the Foundation. But it has also developed into a who’s-who of North American hockey, with numerous NHL and college players and coaches attending the various events, as well as members of the 1980 Miracle-on-Ice Olympic Team.
Proceeds raised by the tournament will support the Foundation’s mission to grow the game of hockey. Over 150 golfers are expected to play, with additional attendees participating in the banquet that follows the golf tournament.
Some of the hockey celebrities who have confirmed participation include 1980 Olympians Dave Christian, John Harrington, Neal Broten, Buzz Schneider, Dave Christian and Rob McClanahan. The Minnesota Wild will be represented by coach Mike Yeo, players Ryan Carter and Keith Ballard, and recent signee Zach Palmquist. Gophers players who have committed include Mike Reilly, Kyle Rau, Seth Ambrose and Christian Isaacson. Other NHL players who will participate include the Flyers’ Mark Alt and recent Los Angeles Kings signee Jonny Brodzinski.
The centerpiece of the banquet that follows golf is the induction of this year’s addition to the Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors those individuals who have significantly contributed to growing the game of hockey, the mission of the Herb Brooks Foundation.
The 2015 Hall of Fame honoree will be Bill Butters, a Minnesota hockey icon who played in the World Hockey Association, National Hockey League and coached at various levels. After retiring from hockey, Butters has assumed a leadership role with Hockey Ministries International and in that role has mentored many young hockey players.
Last year’s Hall of Fame honoree was Chuck Grillo, former player, NHL scout and general manager and owner-operator of the Minnesota Hockey Camps, a summer youth hockey camp based in Nisswa, Minn.
Past inductees into the Herb Brooks Foundation Youth Hockey Hall of Fame have been Janet Marvin; Jim McDonough; Cal, Tut and Jack Marvin; Rudy Krampotich; Stan Hubbard and Wes Barette and Larry Hendrickson.
