Brandon Sutter

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Brandon Sutter

| image = Brandon Sutter 10-2015.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Sutter with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|2|14}}

| birth_place = Huntington, New York, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 188

| position = Centre

| shoots = Right

| played_for = Carolina Hurricanes
Pittsburgh Penguins
Vancouver Canucks

| ntl_team =

| draft = 11th overall

| draft_year = 2007

| draft_team = Carolina Hurricanes

| career_start = 2008

| career_end = 2021

}}

Brandon Sutter (born February 14, 1989) is an American-born Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Vancouver Canucks.

Playing career

=Junior=

Sutter played major junior hockey with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL) under head coach and father Brent Sutter. During the 2006–07 season, he was selected to represent the WHL at the annual ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. Additionally, Sutter was selected to play in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game in January. In the off-season, Sutter was drafted 11th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

=Professional=

==Carolina Hurricanes==

File:Steckel and Sutter face off (4375663153).jpg against Dave Steckel, December 2009]]

After a brief stint with Carolina's then-American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Albany River Rats, at the end of his 2007–08 WHL season, Sutter debuted in the NHL with the Hurricanes in 2008–09. On October 23, 2008, he scored his first NHL goal against Marc-André Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The next game, on October 25, Sutter suffered a concussion after a collision with Doug Weight of the New York Islanders. Sutter had his head down as he was leaning forward for a loose puck in the neutral zone when Weight caught him with his shoulder. Although the hit was ruled as legal and Weight was not assessed any penalty, it re-sparked the debate in the NHL on head shots.{{cite news|title=Weight-ing in on head shots|url=http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=c56850e2-38c6-4c5a-8a25-ebce1534ca44|access-date=December 2, 2008|date=November 18, 2008|newspaper=The Province|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106222731/http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=c56850e2-38c6-4c5a-8a25-ebce1534ca44|archive-date=November 6, 2012|df=mdy-all}} Sutter returned to the line-up after missing eight games.{{cite news|title=Hurricanes activate C Sutter|url=http://nationalpost.pa-sportsticker.com/default.aspx?s=nhl-news-display&nid=A39201861226514961A|access-date=December 2, 2008|date=November 14, 2008|newspaper=National Post}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On July 12, 2011, Sutter signed a three-year, $6.2 million contract extension with Carolina.{{cite web| url = http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/13/cornerstone-player-carolina-re-signs-brandon-sutter-to-three-year-6-2-million-deal/ | title = Hurricanes re-signs Brandon Sutter to three-year deal | publisher = NBC Sports | date = July 12, 2011 | access-date = July 13, 2011}}

==Pittsburgh Penguins==

On June 22, 2012, Sutter was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins (along with Brian Dumoulin and Carolina's first-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, which the Penguins used to select Derrick Pouliot) in exchange for Jordan Staal.{{cite web | url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=399017 | title = Penguins trade Staal to Hurricanes for Sutter, Dumoulin |website=The Sports Network | date = June 22, 2012 | access-date = June 22, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120626011803/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=399017 | archive-date = June 26, 2012 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}

On March 12, 2013, in a game against the Boston Bruins, he scored two goals 3:24 apart in the third period that led to a 3–2 comeback victory for Pittsburgh.{{cite web |title=Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins|url=https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/bos-vs-pit/2013/03/12/2012020380|access-date=March 12, 2013}}

File:Brandon Sutter 2013-01-18 1.JPG

On August 5, 2014, the Penguins announced they had re-signed Sutter to a two-year, $6.6 million contract extension.{{cite web|title=Brandon Sutter re-signs with Penguins|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=727868|website=NHL.com|access-date=August 6, 2014}}

==Vancouver Canucks==

On July 28, 2015, Sutter was traded (along with a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft) to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a second-round pick in 2016.{{cite web|title=Canucks acquire Sutter & 3rd rounder from Pens|url=http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=775796&navid|website=Vancouver Canucks |access-date=July 28, 2015}} On August 4, 2015, the Canucks announced they had signed Sutter to a five-year, $21.875 million contract extension.{{cite web|url=http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776307|title=Canucks sign Sutter to five-year extension|work=nhl.com|date=August 4, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2015}} Sutter played 16 games in the 2015–16 season before it was revealed he required sports hernia surgery.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/canucks-sutter-has-surgery-to-repair-sports-hernia/c-790774|title=Canucks' Sutter has surgery to repair sports hernia|website=nhl.com|date=December 12, 2015|access-date=December 4, 2016}} He missed 33 games before returning to the Canucks lineup on January 26, 2016. However, on February 9, his fourth game back following the surgery, he suffered a broken jaw in a game against the Colorado Avalanche that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/vancouver-canucks-brandon-sutter-alexander-edler-out-long-term-with-injuries/c-278764634|title=Canucks' Sutter, Edler out long-term with injuries|website=nhl.com|date=February 12, 2016|access-date=February 12, 2016}} Sutter scored 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points in 20 games for the Canucks in an injury-plagued 2015–16 season.

In August 2016, the Canucks announced Sutter had switched from number 21 to 20 after Chris Higgins (who previously wore 20 the previous six seasons) had the final year of his contract bought out, to let new Canucks free agent acquisition Loui Eriksson wear number 21.{{cite tweet|number=776891391485947904|user=Canucks|title=💥 NUMBER NEWS 💥 Brandon Sutter has switched to No. 20 so newcomer Loui Eriksson could wear No. 21.|access-date=17 September 2016|date=September 16, 2016}} On January 4, 2017, Sutter was awarded his second career penalty shot, converting against Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/arizona-coyotes-vancouver-canucks-game-recap/c-285349886|title=Ryan Miller, Canucks shut out Coyotes|website=nhl.com|date=January 4, 2016|access-date=January 4, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV1jlpcJAe4&t=0s |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203224638/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV1jlpcJAe4&t=0s |archive-date=2017-02-03 |url-status=dead|title=Penalty shot: Sutter vs Luongo|publisher=NHL|date=October 19, 2013|access-date=January 21, 2017}}

On November 24, 2017, Sutter suffered a groin injury in a 3–2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.{{cite tweet|number=934827526920089601|user=Canucks|title=Sutter is out, Burmistrov is in, confirms Coach Green. Sutter is "more than day-to-day, but it's nothing too serious.|access-date=26 January 2021|date=November 26, 2017}} After missing 21 games, Sutter returned to the lineup on January 14, 2018, scoring the overtime-winning goal in a 3–2 win over the Minnesota Wild.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks-minnesota-wild-nhl-recap-1.4487214|title=Brandon Sutter caps rally with OT winner as Canucks top Wild|website=cbc.ca|access-date=January 26, 2021|date=January 14, 2018}}

On October 29, 2018, Sutter suffered a separated shoulder in a game against the Minnesota Wild. He was expected to miss four-to-six weeks.{{cite web |last1=Lalji |first1=Farhan |title=Being told Sutter has a separated shoulder. 4-6 weeks is best case. |url=https://twitter.com/FarhanLaljiTSN/status/1057139718205231104 |website=Twitter |access-date=October 29, 2018}} He returned to Vancouver's lineup in early January before suffering another groin injury, his third in four seasons with the Canucks, on February 9, 2019, in a game versus the Calgary Flames.{{cite tweet|number=1095201836506796032|user=BlakePriceTSN|title=Sutter is "going to be a little while" "in the groin area, we're not exactly sure what it is". Expects a roster move|access-date=26 January 2021|date=February 11, 2019}} On March 5, 2019, the Canucks revealed that Sutter would undergo surgery on his other sports hernia, ending his season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/vancouver-canucks-brandon-sutter/c-305473028|title=Brandon Sutter injury update|website=nhl.com|access-date=January 26, 2021|date=March 5, 2019}}

Sutter's injury troubles in Vancouver continued during the 2019–20 season. He missed 13 games with a lower–body injury sustained on November 12 in a game versus the Nashville Predators.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/canucks-brandon-sutter-still-chasing-confidence-health/|title=Canucks' Brandon Sutter still chasing confidence in his health|website=sportsnet.ca|access-date=January 26, 2021|date=December 13, 2019}} He returned in December 2019 but after three games, he again left the Canucks lineup, this time missing 12 games with an upper-body injury.{{cite web|url=https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/canucks-notebook-sutters-back-the-playoff-push-and-all-star-coaches|title=Canucks notebook: Sutter's back, the playoff push and Tocchet's Kessel quip|website=theprovince.ca|access-date=January 26, 2021|date=January 17, 2020}} Sutter ultimately returned to the Canucks lineup in January 2020 and played in every subsequent game before the final month of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sutter scored one goal and five assists in the 2020 playoffs.

On January 25, 2021, Sutter scored his first career NHL hat-trick against the Ottawa Senators.{{cite web|author=Gemma Karstens-Smith|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks-ottawa-senators-nhl-recap-jan-25-1.5887271|title=Brandon Sutter scores 1st career hat trick as Canucks roll over Senators|website=cbc.ca|access-date=January 26, 2021|date=January 26, 2021}} Following his sixth year with the Canucks in the 2020–21 season and having concluded his contract, Sutter opted to forgo free agency in re-signing to a one-year, $1.125 million contract extension with Vancouver on July 29, 2021.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/canucks-re-sign-brandon-sutter/c-325840368 | title = Canucks re-sign Brandon Sutter | publisher = Vancouver Canucks | date = July 29, 2021 | accessdate = July 29, 2021}} However, Sutter did not play in the 2021–22 NHL season due to suffering from long COVID, following his positive test result in March 2021. He was placed on long term injured reserve for the season, and also sat out the 2022–23 NHL season.

Retirement

On August 29, 2023, Sutter signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Edmonton Oilers.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/release-oilers-sign-sam-gagner-brandon-sutter-to-ptos/c-345682464 | title = Oilers sign Sam Gagner and Brandon Sutter to PTOs | publisher = Edmonton Oilers | date = August 29, 2023 | accessdate = August 29, 2023}} On October 1, Sutter announced his retirement after he was released from his PTO.{{cite web |title=Sutter retires from NHL after 13 seasons |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/brandon-sutter-retires-from-nhl-after-13-seasons |website=NHL.com |access-date=October 2, 2023 |date=October 1, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Brandon Sutter retires from hockey after attempting comeback with Oilers |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/brandon-sutter-retires-from-hockey-after-attempting-comeback-with-oilers/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |access-date=October 2, 2023 |date=October 1, 2023}}

International play

{{MedalTableTop|name=| Brandon Sutter (Super Series).jpg|200px }}

{{MedalCountry|{{ih|CAN}}}}

Sutter, who has dual citizenship of both the United States and Canada, elected to play for Canada in international competition. Sutter represented Canada extensively during his junior career at the under-18 and under-20 levels. He competed in two IIHF World U18 Championships in 2006 and 2007, losing the bronze medal game in both tournaments.

Shortly after being drafted into the NHL in the summer of 2007, Sutter was chosen to represent Canada at the 2007 Super Series, an eight-game showdown between Canada and Russia's under-20 teams, where father Brent Sutter was head coach. Playing Game 7 in his hometown of Red Deer, Alberta, he scored a goal and was named player of the game. Coincidentally, the match also marked the last junior game Brent coached in Red Deer, where he had previously just completed a seven-year coaching career with the Red Deer Rebels.{{Cite web|title=Canada's Super Series streak snapped|url=https://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=217829&hubname=main|access-date=December 2, 2008|publisher=TSN}} Sutter made his second under-20 appearance for Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, where he helped Canada win gold, overcoming Sweden 3–2 in overtime.

Personal life

Sutter is part of the venerable Sutter hockey family. He is the son of Brent Sutter, who coached him in junior with the Red Deer Rebels and Team Canada at the 2007 Super Series; Brent is a former head coach of the Calgary Flames. He has an older brother, Merrick, who currently serves as the Rebels' senior vice president, and a younger sister, Brooke.{{cite web|title=Staff – Red Deer Rebels|url=http://reddeerrebels.com/staff|publisher=Red Deer Rebels|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011051953/http://reddeerrebels.com/staff|archive-date=October 11, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Sutter's cousin Brett was a teammate of his with the Rebels who was drafted two years ahead of him by the Calgary Flames, and currently coaches in the American Hockey League. Another cousin, Brody, played for the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes and was drafted 193rd overall by Carolina in the 2011 draft. Brody played professionally in the AHL as well as in Europe.

As a result of his father's career, Sutter grew up in Huntington, New York, and Chicago, Illinois, before his family settled in Red Deer, Alberta, following Brent Sutter's purchase of the Red Deer Rebels organization.

In March 2021, he was one of 21 Canucks players that contracted COVID-19 and is now considered a "long-hauler" experiencing post-COVID after effects which prevent him from training. Unlike ex-Edmonton Oilers backup goalie Alex Stalock and forward Josh Archibald, Sutter does not suffer from myocarditis, a condition that causes heart inflammation associated with COVID-19.{{Cite web|date=Oct 11, 2021|title=Canucks forward Brandon Sutter still experiencing COVID-19 symptoms|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/canucks-forward-brandon-sutter-still-experiencing-covid-19-symptoms/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-28|website=Sportsnet.ca|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012005530/https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/canucks-forward-brandon-sutter-still-experiencing-covid-19-symptoms/ |archive-date=October 12, 2021 }}{{Cite web|last=Prasad|first=Travis|date=2021-10-12|title=Canucks' Brandon Sutter struggles with lingering COVID-19 symptoms|url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/canucks-brandon-sutter-struggles-with-lingering-covid-19-symptoms-1.5620957|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-28|website=British Columbia|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211013033452/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/canucks-brandon-sutter-struggles-with-lingering-covid-19-symptoms-1.5620957 |archive-date=October 13, 2021 }}

Sutter was known as "Flat Stanley" to his Penguins teammates, due to his thin frame. Flat Stanley is a children's book character who is squashed under a bulletin board and becomes flattened. He then mails himself around the world to have adventures.{{cite web|title=Penguins’ Most Creative Player Nicknames Through the Years|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/pittsburgh-penguins-nicknames-history/|publisher=The Hockey Writers|access-date=16 April 2024|date=March 25, 2024}}