Jordan Schmaltz bridging the gap with some Butter
Joe Colasurdo, Coordinator of Communications and Business Development, PHPA | January 25th, 2023
While some people were struggling to keep busy during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan Schmaltz, who was playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the time, used it as an opportunity to bridge the gap between two of his passions, hockey and golf, and bring his business idea to life. He brainstormed creative ideas for a new line of apparel and put together a business plan. Two years later, Butter Golf was officially launched, bringing modern lifestyle fashion and humour to the game of golf.
Schmaltz grew up in Madison, WI. His brother Nick currently plays for the Arizona Coyotes, while his sister Kylie played volleyball for the University of Kentucky. From a young age they were encouraged to participate in sports, but one stood out in particular.
“I remember watching Dany Heatley play when he was with the University of Wisconsin and from there I just developed a passion for hockey,” said Schmaltz. “It became my most enjoyable sport and it was something I bonded over with my brother.”
Schmaltz played Junior hockey in the USHL for Sioux City for three seasons before being traded to the Green Bay Gamblers where he helped the team capture the Clark Cup under current Detroit Red Wings Head Coach, Derek Lalonde. That team success led to individual success for Schmaltz, as he would be drafted 25th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues.
The following season, and with the full support of the Blues’ Front Office, Schmaltz opted to play college hockey. Originally committed to Wisconsin, he decided to follow in his uncles’ and father’s footsteps and attend the University of North Dakota.
“When I reopened my recruitment process, I knew the only place I truly wanted to go was North Dakota. I probably should have chosen it all along. It was an unbelievable experience, from the guys, the rink, the facilities, and the community support, it was truly amazing.”
In 2015, after his third college season, Schmaltz would forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and turn pro, signing an entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues. The goal was to compete for a roster spot, but with the Blues having a deep blueline with the likes of Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, Colton Parayko, and Jay Bouwmeester, he began his professional career with the Blues’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate at the time, the Chicago Wolves.
“Although my goal was to make the NHL right out of the gate, beginning my pro career in the AHL was definitely the best decision for my development. It allowed me to gain lots of reps and learn how to become a professional.”
After almost two full seasons in the AHL with Chicago, on March 5th, 2017, Schmaltz was recalled by the Blues and made his NHL debut against the Colorado Avalanche. He recorded an assist, helping the Blues to a 3-0 victory in front of his family which made the night even more special.
“There was so much excitement and nerves. I was in awe, but you don’t have a lot of time to be in awe because you still have to go out and play the game at the highest level,” Schmaltz laughed.
After two more seasons split between the Blues and San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, Schmaltz was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He arrived looking to compete for a roster spot with the Leafs, but was loaned to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Later that season he was traded again, this time to the New York Islanders. Shortly thereafter, the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next Fall he attended the Arizona Coyotes training camp and signed with their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Schmaltz then decided to play in Europe and joined HIFK of the Liiga in Finland.
“I was burnt out. I needed a change of scenery and some stability. I also wanted to play a larger role with a team that I knew I was still capable of playing.”
Reflecting back on his professional career in North America, Schmaltz thoroughly enjoyed the experience and fulfilled his childhood dream of playing at the highest level, although he did have some regrets.
“I missed the opportunity to be my team’s PHPA Player Representative. I was always interested in the role and learning more about the business side of the sport. That’s something I would like to do if I return to the AHL in the future. I know I took advantage of many of the discount programs and marketing partnerships the PHPA put in place, especially the one with BioSteel.”
Schmaltz is currently playing in his second season in Europe while he builds his company, Butter Golf. With his sister Kylie back in North America handling the day-to-day operations and his mother Lisa handling the packaging of products, Butter Golf is becoming a family operation that would not exist without them.
The idea to create Butter Golf originated pre-COVID while Schmaltz was golfing with his friends.
“I saw a hole in the marketplace, a need for a more modern lifestyle in the game of golf. I wanted to bridge the gap and create something for the younger and more modern players.”
Even though a golf lifestyle apparel brand was his focus, he kept his passion for hockey in mind when using his creativity to develop products.
“I wanted to add a new angle to the game of golf by keeping a hockey mindset and introduce humour that even people who didn’t play hockey would understand.”
So far, the results have been promising. Fellow professional hockey players such as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Auston Matthews have sported Butter Golf apparel. Schmaltz will continue to use his hockey connections and branch outward as Butter Golf continues to grow.
“I don’t really know where it’s going to go. I hope it really takes off, but if it doesn’t at least I will be able to say I learned something. My goal is to continue to put out quality products that are funny but at the same time, make sure they are products that people value and want to wear.”
To view the entire line of Butter Golf apparel, visit https://www.butter.golf/
