Gary Suter
Encyclopedia
Gary Lee Suter is a retired American
professional ice hockey
defenseman. He played his junior hockey for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, high school hockey at Culver Military Academy and then moved on to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. Suter was drafted by the Calgary Flames
in round 9 (#180 overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft
, and had a long and successful career in the National Hockey League
(NHL), including receiving the Calder Trophy
as the NHL's top rookie in 1986- in doing so, he became the first American-born player to claim the honor. He won the Stanley Cup
in 1989 with the Calgary Flames
. Suter also played for the Chicago Blackhawks
and the San Jose Sharks
. With 844 NHL career points, Suter is ranked 13th overall among American players, fourth overall among American defensemen, and fourteenth overall among all defensemen.
Gary's brother Bob Suter
was a member of the U.S. Olympic hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics
. His nephew Ryan Suter
(Bob's son) currently plays for the Nashville Predators
in the NHL and represented the United states at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Gary Suter is currently the head coach for the Madison Capitals AAA hockey club, coaching their U18 Midgets squad.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman. He played his junior hockey for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, high school hockey at Culver Military Academy and then moved on to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. Suter was drafted by the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
in round 9 (#180 overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft
1984 NHL Entry Draft
The 1984 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 9, 1984, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.The 1984 Entry Draft was noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower rounds. In addition to Mario Lemieux being taken first overall, Patrick Roy was chosen...
, and had a long and successful career in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), including receiving the Calder Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
as the NHL's top rookie in 1986- in doing so, he became the first American-born player to claim the honor. He won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in 1989 with the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. Suter also played for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. With 844 NHL career points, Suter is ranked 13th overall among American players, fourth overall among American defensemen, and fourteenth overall among all defensemen.
Gary's brother Bob Suter
Bob Suter
Robert Allen Suter is a retired American ice hockey defenseman and member of the Miracle on Ice 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team won the gold medal team...
was a member of the U.S. Olympic hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics was held at the Olympic Arena and the Olympic Fieldhouse in Lake Placid, New York. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to February 24...
. His nephew Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter is a professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for and serves as an alternate captain for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League . He is also an alternate captain of the US Olympic Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics...
(Bob's son) currently plays for the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the NHL and represented the United states at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Gary Suter is currently the head coach for the Madison Capitals AAA hockey club, coaching their U18 Midgets squad.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1981–82 | Dubuque Fighting Saints | USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
18 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Dubuque Fighting Saints | USHL | 41 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 112 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | University of Wisconsin | NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States... |
35 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | University of Wisconsin | NCAA | 39 | 12 | 39 | 51 | 110 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
80 | 18 | 50 | 68 | 141 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1986–87 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 68 | 9 | 40 | 49 | 70 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1987–88 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 75 | 21 | 70 | 91 | 124 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 1988–89 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 63 | 13 | 49 | 62 | 78 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1989–90 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 76 | 16 | 60 | 76 | 97 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 1990–91 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 12 | 58 | 70 | 102 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 1991–92 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 70 | 12 | 43 | 55 | 128 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 81 | 23 | 58 | 81 | 112 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1993–94 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 25 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 48 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 42 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 1995–96 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 82 | 20 | 47 | 67 | 80 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 1996–97 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 82 | 7 | 21 | 28 | 70 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1997–98 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 73 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 76 | 6 | 28 | 34 | 52 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 2000–01 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 68 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 84 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 82 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 57 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | ||
| NHL totals | 1145 | 203 | 642 | 845 | 1349 | 108 | 17 | 56 | 73 | 120 | ||||