Regina Hockey Community Mourns Loss of Scoring Legend
The hockey world is mourning the loss of Gary Butler, a prolific scorer for the Regina Pats who went on to win an NCAA championship with the University of Michigan. Butler passed away on November 8, 2025, in his hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan, at the age of 85 after complications from Parkinson's Disease.
A Remarkable Junior Hockey Career
Butler played five standout seasons with the Regina Pats in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 1956 to 1961, establishing himself as one of the franchise's most potent offensive threats. His career statistics with the Pats remain impressive decades later: 163 goals and 133 assists for 296 total points. This production places him 18th among the 108-year-old franchise's all-time scoring leaders.
His former teammate and lifelong friend Gord Wilkie remembered Butler's unique approach to the game. "He could score," Wilkie said. "He was strong and he could skate, too. He had a few faults as a player. He didn't like back-checking too much and sometimes in the corners of the rink you couldn't find him."
When Wilkie questioned Butler about his avoidance of defensive duties, Butler offered his straightforward philosophy: "You can't score from the corners and you can't score from your own end."
Memorial Cup Run and Professional Opportunities
The 1957-58 season marked a highlight in Butler's junior career when the Regina Pats, coached by Frank Mario and featuring talents like Wilkie, Terry Harper, Bill Hicke, Red Berenson, Joe Lunghamer, and John Palenstien, compiled an impressive 54-21-4 record and advanced to the Memorial Cup finals. Though they ultimately fell to the Ottawa/Hull Canadiens, the season demonstrated the team's exceptional quality.
Following their collegiate careers, both Butler and Wilkie received invitations to training camp with the Montreal Canadiens in 1964 and 1965. However, during an era when the NHL consisted of only six teams, cracking the lineup of the powerhouse Canadiens proved impossible. Both players were assigned to minor league teams instead.
Wilkie firmly believed Butler possessed NHL-caliber talent. "A lot of people don't know how good Butts was," Wilkie stated. "There were only six teams, but if there had been a universal draft like there is now, he certainly would have played in the NHL. And he would have kept scoring."
Life After Hockey and Lasting Legacy
Butler's professional hockey journey took him through five different teams across the American, Central Pro, and Western leagues before he returned permanently to Regina in 1968. He continued playing senior hockey for the Regina Caps and remained active in recreational hockey until suffering a heart attack in the early 2000s.
Beyond the rink, Butler built a 39-year career as an educator in Regina, including a teaching position at Davin School, which he had attended as a youth. He completed his education at Central Collegiate and Balfour Tech before his hockey career accelerated.
Butler is survived by his wife Maureen, son Ryan, four grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, a brother, a sister, and his daughter, Dana. A memorial service is being planned to celebrate the life of the Regina hockey legend whose scoring prowess and unique approach to the game left an indelible mark on Canadian hockey history.
