Elite Hockey Academy is proud to announce the addition of Mike Butters as the 16U Academy Head Coach for the 2026–27 season.
Butters brings more than four decades of experience in hockey to Elite Hockey Academy, with a career that has included the National Hockey League, professional hockey, junior hockey, prep school and youth AAA hockey.
Most recently, Butters served as the Head Coach, Director of Player Personnel and Alternate Governor of the Seattle Totems of the United States Premier Hockey League from 2023 through 2026. During that time, his teams posted a combined record of 99-22-1.
His professional hockey experience includes six seasons within the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, where he worked as an Assistant General Manager, professional scout and college scout. He also served as General Manager of the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals and previously held roles with the Helena Bighorns across the NAHL, AWHL and NORPAC.
Butters has also spent significant time focused on player development at the amateur level. His experience includes the Seattle Junior Hockey Association, CDA Hockey Academy and Sno-King, where he served in roles including Director of Player Personnel, Coaching Coordinator, Female Hockey Director and Head Coach.
As a player, Butters spent 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 in junior, university and professional hockey, including stops in the WHL, SJHL, CIAU, AHL, IHL, ECHL and WCHL. He also earned NHL contracts with the Detroit Red Wings, Quebec Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens.
“I spent my summer preparing myself for not coaching this year,” Butters said. “I was grateful to have so many offers from pro to juniors and even youth, but none of them seemed like the right fit. To return to coaching, it had to be for the right reasons — my reasons. A solid, stable program with a track record of quality, character, integrity and passion. EHA has always checked all of those boxes for me.”
Butters will take over an EHA 16U Academy program built around player development and helping athletes reach their next level.
“Sixteen is the crossroads for many players,” Butters said. “Some of these players are about to get looked at and some of them don’t know yet what they’re capable of. My job is to make sure nobody in that room gets missed.”
Elite Hockey Academy is excited to welcome Coach Butters to the organization and looks forward to the experience, knowledge and passion he will bring to the 16U Academy.
Welcome to EHA, Coach Butters.