After suffering a tough overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves Dec. 28, Bobby Butler and his Milwaukee Admirals teammates gathered for practice the next morning when Butler felt a buzz on his Apple Watch.

He immediately recognized the name on the notification: It was Jim Johansson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations and, more importantly, the general manager in charge of constructing the U.S. men's hockey roster for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“I ran to my phone, headed out into the hallway leading towards the rink,” a still-excited Butler told Sporting News in a recent interview. “I took the call. That’s when he told me I would be on the team. It sent chills down my body. It was something special. To even have a chance this season to have such an opportunity is so exciting, a dream come true.”

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Butler is one of 15 players with NHL experience who will represent Team USA at the Pyeongchang Games next month. For him and many teammates, the Olympic dream seemed dead. He hasn't played for an NHL team in five years. But the league's decision to ban players from participating in 2018 meant the U.S. and other international hockey powerhouses would need to dip into obscure ranks to fill their rosters, leading to stories like Butler's.

The nine-year pro spent time with MODO in the SHL before splitting time with the KHL’s Zagreb Medvescak and Nizhny Novogorod Torpedo in 2016-17.

As the NHL and International Olympic Committee seemed to be getting nowhere in their negotiations this offseason, Butler, 30, sent out feelers about a return to North America. Then the American Hockey League said players on minor-league contracts would be cleared to play in the Olympics if called upon.

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One of the 2010 Hobey Baker finalists’ four former NHL clubs, the Nashville Predators, took the bait. Admirals general manager Paul Fenton thought the veteran right wing could be a valuable addition to the Predators organization, and Butler signed a minors-only deal in order to keep his Olympic participation eligibility.

“I wanted an opportunity to get on the list and have a chance,” he said. “I’m thankful to the Nashville Predators organization, Milwaukee Admirals for giving me an opportunity to play and get back stateside. It’s great for my family to have a normal year.”

To his credit, Butler is living up to his end of the bargain, leading the team in goals (14) and points (26) in 34 games.

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Knowing the official Olympic roster announcement wouldn’t take place until New Year’s Day, the Marlborough, Mass., native thought of a unique way to relay the news to his parents. With his mother Wendy unable to attend, Butler’s father John flew in from Boston for a family visit.

“When I heard the news, I sent him a text to come and watch practice," he said. "I told him the coach (Tony Granato) of the USA team was going to attend practice. My Dad likes to watch the coach run drills, so I asked him to come.”

The Admirals' social media staff asked Butler if he wanted it filmed. He agreed.

“I told him to come down to the bench." he said. "That’s when everything happened right at the end of practice."

"I was going to tell him I didn’t make it, but didn’t have the heart,” Butler joked.

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John’s emotional reaction to his son’s news instantly brought goosebumps. The Admirals tweeted the video, which accumulated nearly one million views in its first week bouncing around social media. But it's what viewers didn’t see that made the visit more overwhelming.

TFW you tell your dad that you’ve made the US Olympic Team 🙌🏻#TeamUSA 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ASoOYYXS4Z — Milwaukee Admirals (@mkeadmirals) January 1, 2018

“He was more shocked than anything," Bobby continued. "He was so proud."

Crying tears of joy, the elder Butler’s contact lens fell out.

“I think he was super excited," he added. "He opened a lot of doors for me growing up.”

John wasn’t able to drive young Bobby to all his games and had to give Wendy directions on countless occasions. They were “a big influence as to where I am today," Butler said.

Without NHL stars in the Olympics for the first time since 1994, Butler feels the tournament will be a level playing field — filled with guys with similar stories to share.

“Every country will have players that never had an opportunity," he said. "There’ll be a lot of hungry guys wanting to win. It will be special to watch.”

The U.S. Olympian wants people watch “with an open mind.” Butler hopes the games have “a Miracle on Ice feeling for everyone. I think it’s going to be fun.”