Jerry Butler (ice hockey)
Jerry Patrick Butler ( born February 27, 1951 in Sarnia, Ontario ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who from 1972 to 1983 for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League played.
Career
Jerry Butler began his career as a hockey player with the Hamilton Red Wings, for which he was active in the 1970/71 season in the Ontario Hockey Association. He was then selected in the NHL Amateur Draft 1971 in the fourth round as a total 55 players from the New York Rangers. First, however, he played a season for the Omaha Knights of the Central Hockey League. In the summer of 1972, Butler was first recorded in the roster of New York's damaligem farm team, the Providence Reds of the American Hockey League. In the following season he also made his debut in the National Hockey League for the Rangers. After another season in New York, the Canadian was issued on June 18, 1975 along with Ted Irvine and Bert Wilson in exchange for Bill Collins and John Davidson of the St. Louis Blues.
After two years in St. Louis, the attacker was eventually transferred to the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 1, 1977 in exchange for Inge Hammarström, for which he stood until 1980 on the ice. Then Butler was committed by the Vancouver Canucks. After Butler was a regular in his first two games times in Vancouver, he spent much of the 1981/82 season with the Dallas Black Hawks of the Central Hockey League. On October 8, 1982 Butler was awarded a contract as a free agent with the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL, where he ended his career after the season.