Jack Button
Encyclopedia
Jack Button was a professional hockey
executive with the Pittsburgh Penguins
and Washington Capitals
of the National Hockey League
. The Jack Button Award, given to the top prospect for the Washington Capitals
, was created in his honor.
. At the end of the 1974-75 season, the Penguins entered receivership. The new owners included Wren Blair
as a minority partner, who took over the managerial reins. In Washington, Jack was highly regarded as a scout and he was credited with discovering Peter Bondra
, Jim Carey, Sergei Gonchar
, Michal Pivonka
and Brendan Witt
. He was a part of the Capital franchise from 1979 until his death in 1996. During the 1996–97 season, the Capitals wore a memorial patch for Button which showcased his initials and a bulldog.
from 1964 until 1966, then moved to the American Hockey League
office as the league's PR director. He also served as league secretary. In 1968, the Pittsburgh Penguins
appointed him general manager of their Central Hockey League affiliate, the Amarillo Wranglers
. The club played only one season, after which Button was promoted to the Penguins' front office.
and served as its first director from 1975 until 1979.
, a former executive with the Dallas Stars
and Calgary Flames
, as well as a former pro scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs
. His other son Tod is the Flames' current director of scouting.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
executive with the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. The Jack Button Award, given to the top prospect for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
, was created in his honor.
NHL clubs
He served as an assistant general manager while with the Penguins from 1969 until 1974, when he was named as the franchise's third general managerGeneral manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
. At the end of the 1974-75 season, the Penguins entered receivership. The new owners included Wren Blair
Wren Blair
Wren Blair is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1970. He was also the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins from July 1975 to December 1976...
as a minority partner, who took over the managerial reins. In Washington, Jack was highly regarded as a scout and he was credited with discovering Peter Bondra
Peter Bondra
Peter Bondra is a former Slovak professional ice hockey player. He was the general manager of the Slovak national team from 2007 to 2011...
, Jim Carey, Sergei Gonchar
Sergei Gonchar
Sergei Viktorovich Gonchar is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
, Michal Pivonka
Michal Pivonka
Michal Pivoňka is a retired National Hockey League player. He played his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals. Selected by the Capitals in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Pivonka defected to the United States during the summer of 1986...
and Brendan Witt
Brendan Witt
Brendan Witt is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He most recently played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, affiliate of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League ....
. He was a part of the Capital franchise from 1979 until his death in 1996. During the 1996–97 season, the Capitals wore a memorial patch for Button which showcased his initials and a bulldog.
Minor league clubs
Button was public relations director of the Rochester AmericansRochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
from 1964 until 1966, then moved to the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
office as the league's PR director. He also served as league secretary. In 1968, the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
appointed him general manager of their Central Hockey League affiliate, the Amarillo Wranglers
Amarillo Wranglers
The Amarillo Wranglers served as a farm team to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The franchise was founded by Jack McGregor who was also the founder of Penguins. McGregor would also serve as the Wranglers' team president. The Wranglers were members of the Central Hockey League...
. The club played only one season, after which Button was promoted to the Penguins' front office.
League work
Button founded the NHL Central Scouting BureauNHL Central Scouting Bureau
The NHL Central Scouting Bureau or NHL Central Scouting Services is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the professional game in the...
and served as its first director from 1975 until 1979.
Family
Jack is the father of Craig ButtonCraig Button
Craig J. Button is currently an ice hockey broadcast analyst and former National Hockey League executive.- Early life and hockey family :Born in Rochester, New York, Button entered the world of hockey at birth...
, a former executive with the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
and Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, as well as a former pro scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. His other son Tod is the Flames' current director of scouting.