Brian Sutter

Brian Louis Allen Sutter (born October 7, 1956) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and former head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). Brian is the second oldest of the famous Sutter brothers and the oldest of the six that played in the NHL. He is also the only one to have his number retired by an NHL team.

Brian Sutter
Sutter with the St. Louis Blues in 1979
Born	(1956-10-07) October 7, 1956 (age 68) Viking, Alberta, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	St. Louis Blues
NHL draft	20th overall, 1976 St. Louis Blues
WHA draft	36th overall, 1976 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	1976–1988

Career

Player

Sutter was drafted by the St. Louis Blues during the 2nd round (20th overall) in the 1976 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Blues until 1988, when a nagging back injury forced him into retirement. In 12 years with the Blues, he played in three NHL All-Star Games – 1982, 1983, and 1985. For the last nine years of his career, he was the Blues' captain. His jersey, #11, was retired by the St. Louis Blues on December 30, 1988.

Sutter awaiting a face-off with Mike Milbury (pictured left) and Charlie Simmer (pictured center) of the Boston Bruins at the Boston Garden on March 21, 1985.

Coaching

Immediately after retiring, he was named the Blues' head coach (1988–1992). In 1991, he won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best coach. All told, he spent the first 16 years of his adult life at ice level with the Blues.

Sutter subsequently held head coaching positions with the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, and Chicago Blackhawks (2001–2004). On June 21, 2005, the Blackhawks hired Dale Tallon as their new general manager; Tallon and the rebuilding Blackhawks decided not to renew Sutter's contract.

During the 2006–07 season, Sutter coached the Bentley Generals of the Chinook Hockey League, leading the team to its first berth in the Allan Cup, Canada's senior men's hockey championship.

Sutter was named the head coach of the Western Hockey League's Red Deer Rebels on July 12, 2007, replacing his younger brother Brent, who left the Rebels to become the head coach of the NHL's New Jersey Devils. On March 24, 2008, the Rebels announced that Brian Sutter had resigned as head coach of the team, citing personal reasons.^[1]

Sutter returned as head coach of the Generals for the 2008–09 season, leading them to its first Allan Cup title in 2009.^[2] In August 2012, Sutter left the Generals to become the new head coach of the Innisfail Eagles, also of the Chinook Hockey League.^[3] He stepped down as head coach of Innisfail in 2022.^[4]

Personal life

Sutter and his wife Judy have two children, a son Shaun and a daughter, Abigail.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1972–73	Red Deer Rustlers	AJHL		51	27	40	67	54		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Red Deer Rustlers	AJHL		59	42	54	96	139		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Lethbridge Broncos	WCHL		53	34	47	81	134		6	0	1	1	39
1975–76	Lethbridge Broncos	WCHL		72	36	56	92	233		7	3	4	7	45
1976–77	Kansas City Blues	CHL		38	15	23	38	47		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	St. Louis Blues	NHL		35	4	10	14	82		4	0	1	1	14
1977–78	St. Louis Blues	NHL		79	9	13	22	123		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	St. Louis Blues	NHL		77	41	39	80	165		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	St. Louis Blues	NHL		71	23	35	58	156		3	0	0	0	4
1980–81	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	35	34	69	232		11	6	3	9	77
1981–82	St. Louis Blues	NHL		74	39	36	75	239		10	8	6	14	49
1982–83	St. Louis Blues	NHL		79	46	30	76	254		4	2	1	3	10
1983–84	St. Louis Blues	NHL		76	32	51	83	162		11	1	5	6	22
1984–85	St. Louis Blues	NHL		77	37	37	74	121		3	2	1	3	2
1985–86	St. Louis Blues	NHL		44	19	23	42	87		9	1	2	3	22
1986–87	St. Louis Blues	NHL		14	3	3	6	18		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	St. Louis Blues	NHL		76	15	22	37	147		10	0	3	3	49
NHL totals				779	303	333	636	1,786		65	21	21	42	249

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1975	Canada	WJC		5	1	4	5	2

Coaching statistics

Team	Year	Regular season							Post-season
		G	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	Division rank	Result
STL	1988–89	80	33	35	12	-	78	2nd in Norris	Won in first round (4-1 vs. MIN) Lost in second round (1-4 vs. CHI)
STL	1989–90	80	37	34	9	-	83	2nd in Norris	Won in first round (4-1 vs. TOR) Lost in second round (3-4 vs. CHI)
STL	1990–91	80	47	22	11	-	105	2nd in Norris	Won in first round (4-3 vs. DET) Lost in second round (2-4 vs. MIN)
STL	1991–92	80	36	33	11	-	83	3rd in Norris	Lost in first round (2-4 vs. CHI)
BOS	1992–93	84	51	26	7	-	109	1st in Adams	Lost in first round (0-4 vs. BUF)
BOS	1993–94	84	42	29	13	-	97	2nd in Adams	Won in first round (4-3 vs. MTL) Lost in second round (2-4 vs. NJ)
BOS	1994–95	48	27	18	3	-	57	3rd in Adams	Lost in first round (1-4 vs. NJ)
CGY	1997–98	82	26	41	15	-	67	5th in Pacific	Missed playoffs
CGY	1998–99	82	30	40	12	-	72	3rd in Northwest	Missed playoffs
CGY	1999–2000	82	31	36	10	5	77	4th in Northwest	Missed playoffs
CHI	2001–02	82	41	27	13	1	96	3rd in Central	Lost in first round (1-4 vs. STL)
CHI	2002–03	82	30	33	13	6	79	3rd in Central	Missed playoffs
CHI	2003–04	82	20	43	11	8	59	5th in Central	Missed playoffs
Total		1,028	451	417	140	20	1,062	1 Division Title	28-40 (.411)

See also

• List of NHL head coaches
• Notable families in the NHL