Sutter could be perfect fit on Penguins’ 3rd line

By Josh Yohe

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

http://triblive.com/sports/

June 24, 2012

Brandon Sutter #16 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores a shorthanded goal on Ryan Miller #30 of the Buffalo Sabres during their NHL game at First Niagara Center October 14, 2011 in Buffalo, New York. (Dave Sandford/Getty Images North America)

 

Brandon Sutter won’t speak with the local media about his trade to the Penguins until today.

His new coach did enough talking for him Saturday.

Although Dan Bylsma admitted there is “no replacing Jordan Staal,” he also spoke in strikingly glowing terms of his new third-line center. This is not merely an adequate replacement for arguably the league’s best third-line center, Bylsma said.

Rather, the Penguins expect Sutter — who is said to be upset about the trade — to become an impact player.

“He is going to fit in with our team and do a lot of great things,” Bylsma said.

Sutter comes from a famous hockey family. His father, Brent Sutter, and uncles were known for tenacious play and their rugged physicality.

The next generation is no different.

Bylsma’s description of his newest center is that of the Sutters who came before him.

“A lot of grit,” Bylsma said. “A lot of character. He’s going to play an extremely important role on our team defensively, faceoff-wise, penalty killing. That character and that grit, the way he plays the game on both ends of the rink, is a big plus for our team.”

Sutter scored three short-handed goals last season and is regarded as one of the NHL’s premier defensive forwards. He is also one of the best faceoff men.

He doesn’t possess Staal’s offensive upside but has produced between 15 and 20 goals in each of the past three seasons.

He is just 23 years old.

He was named an alternate captain at 22, a hint that his leadership requires no time to mature.

“He’s not maybe totally gifted offensively,” Bylsma said, “but he’s a hard-nosed, drive-the-net kind of guy. He is capable of scoring and of scoring big goals.”

Sutter’s game is that of a classic third-liner. He doesn’t attempt to beat defenders with great frequency but rather plays a simple game, often chipping pucks deep and using his above-average speed to create havoc on the forecheck. He is one of the league’s harder-hitting forwards.

Ron Sutter, Brandon’s uncle and a physical center who played most of his career with the Flyers, reminds Bylsma of his new center.

“I spoke with Ron,” Bylsma said. “Spoke with him yesterday and today. He’s got a lot of Ron in his game. A little bigger body than Ron was. That grit. Just such a smart hockey player.”

Bylsma wasn’t the only person praising the younger Sutter. One of his old teammates is going to miss him, too. Eric Staal, the Carolina captain, is going to miss Sutter even though Staal now will be playing with his brother.

“I told (Sutter) he was like my brother without blood,” Eric Staal told the Raleigh Observer.

Sutter is popular in the Raleigh community and among his teammates. He has been nominated in each of the past three years for the media “good-guy” award in Carolina.

According to a Carolina team official, Sutter was so “shocked” about the trade that he was unable to speak with the media the past two days.

Bylsma and the Penguins hope he’ll adjust quickly to life with the Penguins.

Although players like James Neal and Matt Niskanen struggled at first when attempting to play Bylsma’s system, the coach believes having an entire summer to adjust will ease Sutter’s transition.

Ultimately, Bylsma thinks Sutter will do a lot more than survive.

“This is a very good hockey player,” Bylsma said.

Josh Yohe is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at jyohe@tribweb.com or
412-664-9161, Ext. 1975.