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| Brian Sutter was the captain of the St. Louis Blus for much of the 1980s. Source: https://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/ SearchPlayerGallery.jsp?player=14489&photo=7 (May be subject to copyright) |
The Sutters left their mark on the NHL, and continue to do so, and it all started with Brian, oldest of the hockey-playing brothers and second oldest of seven boys.
When Alex Pietrangelo, the captain of the Blues, hoisted the Stanley Cup for St. Louis in 2019, my mind drifted back to the 1980s when it was Brian Sutter who wore the “C” and gave everything he had.
Breaking the trail
Brian Sutter started his career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, playing two years with the Red Deer Rustlers, then two years in the then Western Canada Hockey League with the Lethbridge Broncos.
Brian Sutter started his career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, playing two years with the Red Deer Rustlers, then two years in the then Western Canada Hockey League with the Lethbridge Broncos.
This was the same path his five younger brothers would take to the NHL.
The St. Louis Blues took Sutter in the second round of the 1976 NHL Entry Draft. He played half a season in he minors with the Kansas City Blues before joining St. Louis and staying with the big club from 1976-1977 until injury forced him to retire at the conclusion of the1987-1988 season.
Spirit of St. Louis
Brian Sutter had one of his best statistical season in 1978-1979 with 41 goals and 39 assists for 80 points, but he provided much more to the team than offence.
Brian Sutter had one of his best statistical season in 1978-1979 with 41 goals and 39 assists for 80 points, but he provided much more to the team than offence.
He was named captain of the Blues in the 1979-1980 season. He brought the intangibles that made him a natural leader – effort, determination, hard work, guts, and tenacity.
His first year as captain he had 23 goals and 35 assists for 58 points, following that up in 1980-1981 with 35 goals and 34 assists for 69 points.
Then he had four strong seasons of 74 or more points. In 1981-1982 he had 39 goals and 36 assists for 75 points, then had almost an identical season in 1982-1983 with 46 goals an 40 assists for 76 points.
Sutter followed in 1983-1984 with a career high 51 assists along with 32 goals for a career best 83 points. His production began to dip from then on. He had his last 74-plus point season in 1984-1985 with 37 goals and 37 assists for 74 points.
The 1985-1986 was marred by injury for Sutter, who only played 44 games, but still recorded 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points. However, the Blues had their most successful playoffs in the 1980s. They beat Minnesota in the first round then outlasted Toronto in seven games to win the Norris Division. They advanced to play Calgary in the Campbell Conference Final, which doubled as the Stanley Cup semi-final. Calgary seemed to take control early, taking a 3-1 series lead only to have the Blues mount a furious comeback and tie the series 3-3 before falling in the seventh and deciding game.
Sutter only played 14 games the following season, scoring three goals and adding three assists for six points. He wrapped up his career in 1987-1988 with 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points in 76 games.
Brian Sutter retired from the NHL with a total of 303 goals and 333 assists in 779 games. He added 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points in 65 career playoff games.
Lethbridge memories
Brian Sutter was the first of the six brothers to play for the Lethbridge Broncos. Sadly, I never saw him play because I was too young, and we didn’t start going to Bronco games until a few years later. He and Darryl, the next youngest, are the only ones I did not see in Lehbridge. The other four – Duane, Brent, and twins Ron and Rich – I did see play. I always wished I had seen Brian play with the Broncos.
Brian Sutter was the first of the six brothers to play for the Lethbridge Broncos. Sadly, I never saw him play because I was too young, and we didn’t start going to Bronco games until a few years later. He and Darryl, the next youngest, are the only ones I did not see in Lehbridge. The other four – Duane, Brent, and twins Ron and Rich – I did see play. I always wished I had seen Brian play with the Broncos.
I did see him in a Broncos uniform though. One day on our farm I was cleaning out some newspapers from an outhouse we had and I spotted the sports section of The Lethbridge Herald. It was a publicity shot of the Broncos. Steve Tambellini, who would go on to be drafted by the New York Islanders and play for several teams, is sitting on the ice reading I think it was The Herald, while standing behind him were teammates Archie Henderson, Darcy Regier, goaltender Rollie Boutin and Brian Sutter. Most of those players had some time in the NHL.
Parting thoughts
Some people are just born leaders. They have those intangible qualities that make people want to follow them.
Some people are just born leaders. They have those intangible qualities that make people want to follow them.
From an early age, Brian Sutter had those qualities. Whether it was because he was one of the oldest in a family of seven brothers, the fact he was raised on a farm and instilled with all those values of hard work, dedication, persistence, resiliency and so much more, or because he just had the personality of a leader, he was a leader.
Sometimes, you can see players who will make great coaches. Often they are the captains of their teams.
After Brian Sutter retired, he coached the Blues, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Jack Adams Trophy for coach of the year after the 1990-1991 season, and leading all four teams to the playoffs.
When you put it all together, Brian Sutter was leadership personified.
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