THUNDER BAY -- Growing up, Dylan Butler idolized the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
A year ago the Thunder Bay native got his chance to don the blue and gold, joining the OUA club after three seasons in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he scored 43 goals in 162 games split between the Portage Terriers and the Dauphin Kings.
The goals have been harder to come by at the university level for the 5-foot-9 forward, with just one non-conference tally to his name, coming earlier this year in a home-ice tilt against the Laurentian Voyageurs.
It’s one he won’t soon forget.
“I had just kind of hopped on the ice and they were changing. It was the middle of a mixed up play and (Trevor Hynnes) saw me pretty good. I was screaming at him and I had a point-blank shot.”
One goal doesn’t make a career, or even earn regular playing time. But it’s an important milestone nonetheless for a player who is all too willing to admit it was tough making the adjustment from Junior A to the university level.
“Year 1 I was definitely a bit more jittery on the ice,” he said. “CIS hockey is a bit different than junior, so this year is a lot more comfortable on the ice and I’m trying to make some more plays.”
As a sophomore, Butler is trying to convince coach Bill McDonald he deserves a regular spot in the lineup. On a team that has started the season with six straight losses and the coach looking for players to catch his eye to stop the slide, the opportunity is there.
The 22-year-old Butler has played in four of the team’s six regular-season contests and hopes his efforts in practice are paying off. He’s the type of player that wants to be the first guy on the ice and last guy off it, but is also cognizant enough to know that’ll only get you so far.
“So then when I get in the lineup I’m going to do as much as I can to make sure he doesn’t want to take me out,” Butler said.
McDonald has definitely taken notice, though he wasn’t sure what he might be getting when he agreed to bring Butler into the Thunderwolves fold.
“He’s really showed some smart offensive mentality the first part of last year. Then I think the league and the game kind of caught up to him, because he probably wasn’t strong enough for it. But I tell you what, I’ve watched the kid all summer and he does everything we asked. He’s been in the gym. He thinks the game very well,” McDonald said.
