Claire Butorac Bio
Claire Butorac (born September 24, 1999) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). A right-shot forward, she has been a steady presence in the Frost lineup since the league’s inaugural season and has helped the franchise capture back-to-back Walter Cup championships. She previously played college ice hockey at Minnesota State University, where she developed into a reliable two-way contributor over five seasons.
Before turning professional, Butorac was a multi-sport athlete at Andover High School in Minnesota, earning four letters in ice hockey and three in lacrosse. She has since built a résumé defined by consistency, special-teams responsibility, and a knack for delivering in high-leverage moments during the PWHL playoffs.
Early Life and Background
Claire Butorac was born on September 24, 1999, in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and grew up in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. She comes from a region with a deep tradition of youth hockey, and her early athletic life extended beyond the rink. As a young athlete, Butorac played soccer, an experience that helped develop her footwork, conditioning, and field awareness, qualities that later translated to her skating and puck-tracking skills on ice.
She attended Andover High School in Andover, Minnesota, where she became a standout in two sports. On the ice, she was a four-time letter winner in ice hockey, while also earning three letters in lacrosse. Her hockey production and leadership drew statewide recognition, and in 2018 she was named a semifinalist for the Minnesota Ms. Hockey Award, an honor given to the top senior girls’ high school player in the state.
That semifinalist nod cemented her status as one of Minnesota’s most promising young forwards and helped set the stage for her commitment to Minnesota State University, where she would spend the next five years refining her game at the collegiate level.
Path to Professional Hockey
Butorac began her collegiate career with the Minnesota State Mavericks during the 2018–19 season, appearing in all 35 games as a freshman and recording two goals and three assists. The immediate opportunity to play a full schedule signaled the coaching staff’s confidence in her two-way reliability and her ability to contribute in a depth role right away.
Her offensive game expanded during her sophomore year in 2019–20, when she played all 37 games and posted eight goals and four assists. She led the Mavericks with a 17.4 shooting percentage and tied for the team lead with eight goals, demonstrating a more decisive finishing touch around the net. The 2020–21 season, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, saw her appear in all 20 games and record one goal and four assists in her junior campaign.
Across her final two collegiate seasons, Butorac grew into a more complete playmaker. In 2021–22, she registered three goals and eight assists in 25 games during her senior year, and in 2022–23, her graduate season, she produced seven goals and 16 assists in 36 games. By the time she left Minnesota State, she had logged more than 150 career college games and established herself as a dependable, playoff-ready forward ready for the professional ranks.
Claire Butorac Career
Early Career (2018–2023)
Butorac’s early career was defined by her five seasons at Minnesota State, where she steadily built her offensive game while taking on increasing responsibility. From her freshman year through her graduate season, she appeared in well over 150 games and produced a balanced line of goals and assists. Her development path was textbook: limited minutes as a rookie, a breakout sophomore year, and a graduate campaign in which she served as one of the team’s primary playmakers.
On May 14, 2023, she signed a two-year contract with the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Premier Hockey Federation, a major milestone in her professional journey. However, the PHF ceased operations on June 29, 2023, meaning she never appeared in a game for the Whitecaps. The collapse of the PHF ultimately redirected her career toward the newly forming PWHL.
PWHL Minnesota Era (2023–2024)
On November 30, 2023, Butorac signed a one-year contract with PWHL Minnesota, beginning her tenure with the franchise that would eventually be rebranded as the Minnesota Frost. During the 2023–24 regular season, she recorded one goal and two assists across 21 games, anchoring a checking-line role while continuing to develop chemistry with her linemates.
Her most defining stretch came in February 2024, when an injury to star center Taylor Heise pushed Butorac into a top-six role. She was promoted to the first line alongside Kendall Coyne Schofield and Kelly Pannek, and she thrived in the increased minutes. During the Walter Cup playoffs, she recorded one goal and two assists in ten games and helped Minnesota win the inaugural Walter Cup championship. Her signature moment arrived in game four of the semifinals against PWHL Toronto, when she scored the game-winning goal in double overtime to force a decisive game five, a play that remains one of the most memorable of her career.
Minnesota Frost Era (2024–Present)
Butorac carried her playoff momentum into the 2024–25 season, appearing in 29 games and recording two goals and four assists while continuing to handle a versatile role that included penalty killing and key defensive-zone faceoffs. The Frost captured their second consecutive Walter Cup, cementing Butorac as a two-time champion in just her second and third professional seasons. On June 22, 2025, she signed a one-year contract extension with the Frost, signaling the organization’s confidence in her long-term value.
During the 2025–26 season, Butorac recorded three assists in 30 games, continuing to provide defensive responsibility and timely playmaking. On June 20, 2026, she signed another one-year contract extension with the Frost, locking in her spot on the roster as the franchise pursued a third consecutive Walter Cup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Butorac is widely regarded as a dependable two-way forward whose value often shows up in areas beyond the scoresheet. She excels in defensive-zone coverage, penalty-killing situations, and faceoff reliability, and she has shown a willingness to play a physical, detail-oriented brand of hockey. Her ability to move up and down the lineup, from a checking-line role to a top-six offensive assignment, has made her a coach’s favorite and a stabilizing presence in the Frost locker room.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Butorac’s most notable achievements are her back-to-back Walter Cup championships in 2024 and 2025, her double-overtime game-winning goal against PWHL Toronto in the 2024 semifinals, and her 2018 Minnesota Ms. Hockey Award semifinalist recognition. She has also been part of a historic era for women’s professional hockey, playing a role in the launch of the PWHL and helping the Minnesota Frost establish themselves as the league’s first dynasty.
Claire Butorac Career Wins
Across her professional career, Claire Butorac has been part of two Walter Cup championships with the Minnesota Frost, in 2024 and 2025, anchoring a roster that has reached the Walter Cup Final in each of the league’s first three seasons. Her win résumé is built less on individual goal totals and more on team success, with her most famous moment coming in the 2024 playoff semifinals.
PWHL and Playoff Highlights
Butorac’s first major professional victory was the 2024 Walter Cup, won with PWHL Minnesota. She followed that with a second consecutive Walter Cup in 2025 with the rebranded Minnesota Frost, becoming a two-time champion in her first two full professional seasons. Her most recent verified playoff performance came during the 2024–25 postseason, where she contributed to a championship run while logging significant minutes in all situations.
Other Performances
Before turning professional, Butorac was a four-time ice hockey letter winner at Andover High School and a 2018 Minnesota Ms. Hockey Award semifinalist. At Minnesota State, she was a five-year contributor and led the team in shooting percentage during the 2019–20 season, a sign of her finishing instincts even in a primarily two-way role.
Claire Butorac Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Claire Butorac’s family background is limited. She was raised in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and grew up playing multiple sports, including soccer, lacrosse, and ice hockey. Her development in the strong Minnesota youth hockey system provided a foundation for her collegiate and professional career.
Personal Life
Butorac resides in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area while playing for the Minnesota Frost. Beyond her public athletic profile, detailed information about her personal relationships is not widely published, and she has not publicly disclosed significant personal-life details beyond her commitment to her professional hockey career.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2025 portion of the 2024–25 PWHL season, Claire Butorac continued in her role as a versatile forward for the Minnesota Frost, recording two goals and four assists across 29 regular-season games. Her contributions came in a balanced mix of even-strength minutes, penalty-killing shifts, and spot duty on the power play, as the Frost battled to defend their inaugural Walter Cup title.
The 2025 season ultimately ended with another Walter Cup championship for Minnesota, making the Frost the first back-to-back champions in PWHL history. Butorac’s ability to move between checking-line duties and elevated roles gave the coaching staff flexibility throughout the year, and her playoff résumé from the previous spring helped establish her as a trusted postseason performer.
Looking ahead, Butorac signed a one-year contract extension on June 22, 2025, keeping her in Minnesota for the 2025–26 campaign. With the Frost positioned as defending champions, she is expected to remain a key depth forward and special-teams contributor as the team pursues a third consecutive Walter Cup.