Gionta, Bourque to lead Olympic Team USA in men's ice hockey

A camera caught the interaction, and while neither Bobby or his dad were mic'd up, you really didn't need to hear what they were saying to understand what was going on.

It shows Butler skating up to the side of the rink as his father walks in. Butler then delivers the good news, while his Milwaukee teammates cheer.

The Rochester, New York, native became an unrestricted free agent following the 2016-17 season and after not being offered a contract, signed with the practice squad of Rochester, the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate. Of the 23 players to book their ticket to the Pyeongchang, five are either current or past BC skaters.

The NHL announced past year that it would not suspend its season to accommodate the Olympics, effectively blocking the league's top global stars from playing in South Korea. The NHL stated that the "overwhelming majority of our clubs are adamantly opposed to disrupting the 2017-2018 NHL season". Gionta also found himself representing the United States at the Olympics in 2006 and has a history of performing when his team needs it most. "But the International Olympic Committee wasn't planning to foot the bill for 2018".

But for me and 24 other guys, it's a chance for the fans of hockey in the United States to see our stories and support the players who were selected. National Hockey League isn't going, what do you have to say to draw them in? "Without that option, management turned to a wide variety of sources, plucking players from leagues around the world to piece together a roster for Pyeongchang".

"We've had an exceptional four months (training) in Wesley Chapel, Florida, leading up to this point, " said Reagan Carey, general manager for the women's Olympic team. "It's a group that brings versatility and experience and includes players who have a lot of passion about representing our country".

But it may be that the lack of prior fame makes moment like Butler's all the more poignant.

Barnes, a three-time member of the Under-18 Team, is the only player in IIHF Women's Under-18 World Championship history to win three gold medals. "You know they'll battle every day for the crest on that jersey".