Brent Sutter is a former professional ice hockey player and coach from Canada. He was born on June 10, 1962, in Viking, Alberta, and grew up in a family of hockey players. His father, Lloyd Sutter, played for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1970s, and his brothers, Duane, Rich, Ron, and Darryl, all played in the NHL.
Brent Sutter began his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Lethbridge Broncos in 1978. He played for the Broncos for three seasons, scoring 139 goals and 331 points in 204 games. In 1980, he was drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round, 17th overall, and joined the team for the 1980-81 season.
Sutter played for the Islanders for eight seasons, from 1980 to 1988. He was a key player on the team that won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980 to 1983. Sutter was known for his defensive play and his ability to win faceoffs. He was also a reliable scorer, with a career-high 40 goals in the 1984-85 season.
In 1988, Sutter was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played for three seasons. He was named team captain in his second season with the Blackhawks and led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992. Sutter was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1991 but returned to the Blackhawks in 1992.
Sutter retired as a player in 1998, after playing 1,111 NHL games and scoring 363 goals and 1,008 points. He was known for his work ethic, leadership, and dedication to the game.
After retiring as a player, Sutter became a coach. He started as an assistant coach with the Blackhawks in 1998 and was promoted to head coach in 1999. He coached the Blackhawks for two seasons, from 1999 to 2001, before resigning to spend more time with his family.
In 2002, Sutter became the head coach of the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League. He led the team to the Memorial Cup championship in 2001 and 2002. In 2005, he became the head coach of the New Jersey Devils, where he coached for two seasons. He then became the head coach of the Calgary Flames in 2009 and coached the team for three seasons.
Sutter also coached the Canadian national junior team in 2005 and 2006, winning a gold medal in 2005. He was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.
In summary, Brent Sutter had a successful hockey career as a player and coach. He was a key player on the New York Islanders team that won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships and was known for his defensive play and leadership. He went on to coach several teams, including the Red Deer Rebels, New Jersey Devils, and Calgary Flames, and won a Memorial Cup championship and a gold medal with the Canadian national junior team.
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