Seasons with UBC: 9
Overall record: 176-105-19 (.587)
Conference record: 125-72-19 (.579)
Playoff record: 18-20 (.474)
University Cup record: 0-2
- Coach of the Year, Canada West (2018, 2024)
- Drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1994
- Played in 140 NHL games (Pittsburgh, Edmonton, New York, and Vancouver)
- Represented Germany at 2010 Winter Olympics
*As of March, 2025
Sven Butenschon has completed his ninth year at the helm of the UBC Thunderbirds program, guiding the team to the Canada West playoffs each season. Since taking the reins, the former NHL defenceman has transformed the T-Birds into a highly competitive force.
2024-25:
Aiming to build off their Canada West championship-winning campaign the previous year, the T-Birds dropped the first four games of the 2024-25 season but then kicked into gear, winning 12 of their next 14 to re-establish themselves as contenders in the conference. A home loss to Mount Royal in the first game of the new year was followed by another six-game winning streak, as UBC entered the conference playoffs second in their division behind only the Cougars. After defeating MacEwan 2-1 in the best-of-three quarterfinals series, the T-Birds again went the distance against Saskatchewan in the semifinals. Unfortunately, this time the 'Birds came up just short, falling on the road to the Huskies.
2023-24 was a historic season for the Thunderbirds, as they finished the regular season #1 in the conference for the first time since 1963, and then won the program’s first conference championship since 1971, and just the third in school history. The ‘Birds started the year on fire, winning their first nine games to jump out to an early lead in the conference standings. After a brief stumble in November, the team found their mojo once again and didn’t have a single regulation loss in the final two and a half months of the regular season, ending the year with a 22-4 record. After defeating Alberta in the Canada West semifinals, the T-Birds took down Calgary 2-1 in the best-of-three Canada West finals to win the championship on home ice. Advancing to the University Cup for the second time in three years, UBC’s season ended with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to McGill in the national quarterfinals.
After an up-and-down start to the 2022-23 campaign, Butenschon's troops caught fire in early December. A 6-1 victory over the visiting Regina Cougars marked the start of a franchise-best 13-game winning streak that spanned two full months of play. That allowed UBC to finish third in the Canada West standings, and pitted them against the Regina Cougars in the 3 vs. 6 playoff matchup. On home ice, UBC outscored Regina 14-1 in the span of two games en route to a series sweep. Up next was a semifinal clash with Alberta, and UBC drew first blood with a 4-3 victory over the Golden Bears on February 24th. Alberta stormed back the next night with a 4-3 win, and a day later completed their series comeback with a 6-3 triumph over UBC.
A season prior, Butenschon led UBC to a 21-9 overall record, while posting a 14-5 record in the Canada West. Hungry to return to the national championships, the T-Birds defeated the MRU Cougars in the CW Semifinal in a exciting 2-1 game three victory to secure a spot at nationals. UBC was taken down in the CW final as they dropped two straight games to Alberta. The T-Birds then matched up with the UQTR Patriotes in the first round of the U SPORTS University Cup and fell in a double-overtime thriller to the Patriotes, who went on to win the national championship.
In his first year as head coach, Butenschon and the T-Birds went 12-13-3 in Canada West play, advancing to the quarter-finals of the conference playoffs.
The 2017-18 season saw the Thunderbirds finish with their best regular season record in a 28-game schedule going 16-10-2 while Butenschon was named the Canada West Coach of the Year. UBC pushed Calgary to a third and deciding game in the conference quarter-finals, just the second playoff series hosted by the Thunderbirds in 47 years.
In 2019-20, Butenschon guided the Thunderbirds to playoff heights not seen in decades. UBC advanced to their first conference final since 1978 and their first national championship appearance since 1977. Unfortunately, the onset of the pandemic meant the T-Birds never had a chance to compete at the University Cup in Halifax.
Following the pandemic lost season, UBC saw some significant roster additions and Butenschon’s strong recruiting paid off handsomely as the Thunderbirds finished the 20-game season with a 14-5-1 record, clinching second place in the Canada West, hosting a semifinal playoff series for the first time since 1971. The T-Birds defeated Mount Royal in three games, advancing to a second straight Canada West Final while also clinching a berth at the 2022 University Cup.
Prior to being named head coach in 2016, Butenschon served as the team’s full-time assistant coach for one season.
The 12th Thunderbirds head coach since the start of Canada West hockey in 1961, Butenschon brings to the UBC bench a wealth of experience from around the world. He spent his major junior hockey career with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, competing in two Memorial Cups.
The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Butenschon in 1994, selecting him in the third round of the NHL Entry Draft with the 57th pick. He began his professional career in 1996 with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League. It was the beginning of a nine-season professional career in North America, which saw Butenschon play 140 games with four National Hockey League teams: Pittsburgh, Edmonton, the New York Islanders, and Vancouver, as well as teams in the International and American Hockey Leagues.
During the 2004-05 season, he played with Adler Mannheim of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). He then spent five more seasons, beginning in 2006, with the team, before finishing his career by playing two years with the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers.
Internationally, Butenschon represented Germany at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, as well as the 2009 and 2010 IIHF World Championships.
