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Brandon Sutter

Brandon Sutter Announces Retirement

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The Edmonton Oilers have announced that veteran forward Brandon Sutter has been released from the PTO he signed with the club, and has decided to retire from professional hockey. He provided a statement, which reads:

I’m grateful for the opportunity that Ken, Jay and the Oilers organization have provided to me the past few weeks. You need to be 100 percent healthy to compete in the NHL, and although my health continues to improve, in consideration of my health and family, I am officially retiring from hockey.

Thank you to the Oilers, Canucks, Penguins and Hurricanes, as well as all my past coaches, trainers and teammates for the incredible experiences throughout my 13 seasons in the NHL.

Sutter, 34, had not played since 2020-21, but was hopeful that he could earn a depth role in Edmonton. But the time away from the game appears to have been to big a barrier to overcome, so as a result, he has elected retirement.

Although injuries dulled his effectiveness in the later years of his career, Sutter had long been valued as a two-way center who brought defensive ability, sneaky goal-scoring touch, and the kind of leadership qualities that make a lasting impact on a locker room.

During his time with the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Carolina Hurricanes, Sutter made a few deep playoff runs and scored 15 or more goals three times.

Part of the famed Sutter family, he ends his career with a few honors, including wearing a letter as part of the leadership group for three different franchises and a IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal.

While it certainly will end up a disappointment to Sutter and Oilers fans that he won’t be able to suit up for more NHL games, one can certainly respect the health considerations that went into Sutter’s decision. He leaves behind a playing career to be proud of, and we at PHR would like to extend our best wishes to Sutter for whatever he chooses to do now that his days on an NHL roster have ended.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

West Notes: Fabbro, Sutter, Canucks

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The Predators are believed to have looked into the possibility of moving defenseman Dante Fabbro this summer, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.  The 25-year-old’s future with the team has seemed murky at times over the past couple of years and the fact that he took a step back last season offensively (going from 24 points to just 11) won’t help his value.  Nevertheless, Fabbro has shown himself to be capable of holding down a fourth or fifth spot on a defensive depth chart and at a $2.5MM AAV, it’s not a particularly pricey gamble for a team to bring him in.  The fact he still has another year of club control after this one doesn’t hurt either.  Clearly, Nashville didn’t find a trade offer to their liking but Fabbro could be one to keep an eye on as new GM Barry Trotz puts his stamp on this team.

More from the West:

  • Last season, Jason Demers attended Edmonton’s camp on a PTO and agreed to an AHL tryout agreement after that before being converted to an NHL contract midseason. Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal wonders if the Oilers might try the same approach with Brandon Sutter.  Being out of hockey for two years altogether, going this route would allow both sides more time to assess his overall readiness to play at the top level rather than forcing Edmonton to make a decision on his fate over the next few weeks.
  • While the Canucks checked in on free agent winger Phil Kessel earlier in the summer, they’re not believed to be one of the teams pursuing him at the moment, reports CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal (video link). As things stand, Vancouver is going to need to trim its payroll if Tanner Pearson is indeed cleared to play at the start of the season so getting another player at the NHL minimum salary of $775K to replace someone making a bit more than that would help in that.  However, the Canucks also have a fair bit of forward depth so it’s not entirely surprising that they’re not in on Kessel for now.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Sam Gagner To PTO

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The Edmonton Oilers are open to bringing veteran forward Sam Gagner back for a third stint with the team, as they’ve signed him to a professional tryout today. The team also confirmed the previously reported PTO for center Brandon Sutter, who’s missed the last two seasons with long COVID symptoms.

Gagner, 34, is not the player the Oilers envisioned they were getting when they selected him sixth overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. However, he remains a serviceable 13th forward on his worst day and a consistent bottom-six presence on his best. He played last season in a Winnipeg Jets uniform, missing the last few weeks of the 2022-23 season due to a hip injury. He managed to get into 48 games while playing a solid leadership role, however, recording eight goals and 14 points while posting quite advantageous possession metrics, something he’s done routinely over the years despite playing on some subpar teams – he’s made the playoffs just twice in his 16-year, 1,015-game career.

He was coming off a solid campaign with the Detroit Red Wings in 2021-22, playing in 81 of 82 games whilst recording 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points. He’s been a solid bet for somewhere between 30 and 45 points through most of his career. At this stage, that’s not likely (especially given the limited bottom-six role he might play in Edmonton), but he is a dependable presence who’s managed to consistently avoid being a liability.

The Oilers’ biggest question mark regarding roster construction lies at the fourth-line center spot, which is quickly becoming rather obvious by signing a pair of candidates for the position to PTOs. There’s also Lane Pederson in the mix for the job, who they signed to a two-year, league-minimum one-way deal on July 1. AHL veteran Brad Malone, who recorded 21 points in 41 games with the Bakersfield Condors last season, could make a run for a full-time NHL role for the first time since 2015-16 as well.

Gagner will need to make himself known during training camp, then, as it’s evident space is limited on the Oilers’ roster, and they’re keeping their options open for the few spots that do remain. However, a cursory look labels him as the best option for the job, and there’s a level of familiarity between him, the Oilers, and GM Ken Holland that could play to his advantage

Peter Holland Signs PTO With Colorado Avalanche

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Peter Baugh of The Athletic is reporting that former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Peter Holland is attempting to make a comeback with the Colorado Avalanche. Baugh reports that Holland will be trying to return to the NHL after not playing hockey anywhere last season.

Holland last played professionally in the Swedish Hockey League for Djurgardens IF. He struggled offensively, posting just six assists as he cut his season short and played in just 15 games.

Holland hasn’t dressed in an NHL game since 2017-18 when he was a member of the New York Rangers. He struggled mightily that season as he posted just a goal and three assists in 23 games while playing in a bottom-six role. He then spent time in the AHL and Sweden before eventually landing in the KHL where he played for two seasons as a member of Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Holland will be a long shot to make a very talented Avalanche team. He will be fighting an uphill battle after sitting out for a season and spending a half-decade outside of the NHL. But he is a talented player, while he never reached the level scouts thought he would when he was selected 15th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2009 NHL entry draft, he did put up several solid seasons as a member of the Maple Leafs.

Holland will join the likes of Nathan Beaulieu (Hurricanes), Alex Chiasson (Bruins), and Brandon Sutter (Oilers) who are all hoping to convert PTOs into NHL contracts for next season.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Brandon Sutter To PTO

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August 16: The Oilers have officially signed Sutter to a PTO, according to CapFriendly.

August 8: After missing the entirety of the last two NHL seasons, Sean O’Leary of The Score reports that the Edmonton Oilers have agreed to a professional tryout agreement with forward Brandon Sutter. An oft-injured player during his time with the Vancouver Canucks, Sutter has missed the last two seasons dealing with Long Covid.

With little cap space left to maneuver with, and the impending contract of restricted free agent Evan Bouchard, most pundits knew the Oilers were heading in this direction leading up to training camp. It is an interesting choice, as regardless of missing the last two seasons, Sutter had not played a full NHL season since 2016-17 with the Canucks, but will likely not be the last PTO the Oilers hand out this offseason.

When healthy, Sutter had historically been one of the better defensive centers in the game of hockey. Notably blocking a healthy amount of shots throughout his career, Sutter was also a mainstay on the Canucks penalty kill throughout much of his time with the organization.

If he does make Edmonton’s roster out of camp, it would be hard to imagine him as anything other than an extra forward on the team. The organization already has plenty of options down the middle in the bottom six, but Sutter’s experience and defensive tactics may sparingly earn him some minutes in a fourth-line role.

Long are the days when Sutter seemed like a regular 30-point bottom-six center option for most teams, but if the 34-year-old is still ready to play, there is a very low risk for the Oilers in this move.

Brandon Sutter Hoping To Resume NHL Career

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It’s been nearly two years since Brandon Sutter appeared in an NHL game. The former Vancouver Canucks forward finished the 2020-21 season with a loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

After playing through a five-year, $4.375MM contract as an important leader and role player for the Canucks, he wouldn’t fetch a ton on the open market. He ended up signing a one-year, $1.125MM contract to stay in Vancouver.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t play a single game on that contract. After showing up to training camp in September 2021, Sutter experienced some unexplained fatigue and was given time to try and recuperate away from the group. By October, he was ruled out indefinitely with long-term symptoms of COVID-19. He would miss the entire season.

Last summer, as a UFA once again, Sutter admitted that he was still dealing with the symptoms and wasn’t sure if he would ever play again. Many assumed that would end his NHL career, given his age and situation.

Not so fast, says the 34-year-old veteran. Speaking with Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV today, Sutter explained that he is finally feeling better and that there is “light at the end of the tunnel.” He hopes to play again and will try to catch on somewhere in the fall.

Landing an NHL job will be difficult, but there was a time when Sutter was considered an integral two-way center. As a fourth-line option, perhaps he still has enough juice left to be a helpful addition to a club looking for leadership and work ethic, even in a part-time role.

Brandon Sutter Still Dealing With COVID Symptoms

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Former Vancouver Canucks center Brandon Sutter, who’s now an unrestricted free agent after his contract expired this offseason, hasn’t played an NHL game since May 1, 2021. That fact doesn’t look to change anytime soon, as Sutter tells The Province’s Ben Kuzma that he’s still dealing with symptoms of long COVID, presumably from his infection during the widespread outbreak on the Canucks during the 2020-21 season.

Sutter didn’t suit up at all in 2021-22 after symptoms worsened during the offseason. Overall in 2020-21, the now 33-year-old Sutter had nine goals and 12 points in 43 games.

With Sutter noting in the interview that he still can’t do any cardio training at this point, a return to NHL play for him seems like an infinitesimally small chance. He does say he’s still focused on returning to play, but with his symptoms not improving yet, it just doesn’t seem like a reality.

If it’s the end of the road for Sutter, he finishes with 152 goals, 137 assists, and 289 points in 770 career NHL games.

Snapshots: Zadorov, Rodrigues, Laine, Canucks

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On top of Johnny Gaudreau opting to get the open market, defenseman Nikita Zadorov will also be doing so, reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link).  The 27-year-old had a career-high 22 points last season but also averaged a career-low in ice time at 16:55 per game.  A veteran of over NHL games 500 games between the regular season and playoffs, Zadorov is a well-known commodity around the league and will have interest from teams looking to shore up the left side of their back end in free agency.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • Pending UFA forward Evan Rodrigues has changed representation to Darren Ferris of Quartexx, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). After bouncing around the previous two seasons, the 28-year-old had a breakout year in 2021-22, collecting 43 points in 82 games with Pittsburgh while spending plenty of time in their top six.  After being on one-year deals the past three years, Rodrigues should be able to secure a multi-year commitment this time around.
  • While Patrik Laine is a year away from being eligible to test unrestricted free agency, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen told reporters including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that there is mutual interest in getting a long-term extension done with the winger. Laine is coming off his first career point per game season, notching 26 goals and 30 assists in 56 games and received his $7.5MM qualifying offer.  He’s eligible to file for arbitration if an agreement can’t be worked out in the coming days.
  • Canucks president Jim Rutherford told CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal (Twitter link) that the team will not be looking to re-sign pending UFA forwards Alex Chiasson, Brad Richardson, and Brandon Sutter right away but could circle back at some point this summer. Chiasson had 13 goals in 67 games last season, a decent return on a league minimum deal while Richardson won over 58% of his faceoffs in 2021-22.  Sutter, meanwhile, missed all of last season with long COVID symptoms and there’s no word yet on whether or not he’ll be able to play in 2022-23.

Brandon Sutter Unlikely To Play This Season

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Canucks center Brandon Sutter hasn’t played this season as he deals with long-term COVID symptoms and it doesn’t sound like he’ll suit up at all as head coach Bruce Boudreau told beat reporter Jeff Paterson (Twitter link) that he doesn’t anticipate the veteran returning to play at any point this season.

The 33-year-old has been with Vancouver since being acquired in a draft day trade back in 2015 and after playing out his five-year, $21.875MM contract last season, he opted to not test the market, instead inking a one-year, $1.125MM contract at the start of free agency.  The deal made lots of sense from a value standpoint as Sutter’s defensive game and faceoff prowess made him a quality fourth-liner but unfortunately, he had to shut his offseason training down soon after signing.

Sutter was among the many Vancouver players who contracted the virus last March that resulted in a lengthy shutdown for the team.  He was able to return in April but things have certainly worsened for him since then and he currently is on long-term injured reserve (joining winger Micheal Ferland and defenseman Brady Keeper).  He’ll once again become an unrestricted free agent in July but at this point, his focus will simply be on recovering over trying to find a contract for 2022-23.

Brandon Sutter Out Indefinitely For Vancouver Canucks

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The Vancouver Canucks aren’t expecting Brandon Sutter back anytime soon. The veteran forward is dealing with long-term symptoms from COVID-19, general manager Jim Benning told reporters including Thomas Drance of The Athletic, and will be out “for a while.” The team is focused on getting Sutter back to full health before putting him on the ice.

Sutter, 32, signed a new one-year, $1.125MM contract with the Canucks this offseason to stay with the team he’s been a part of since 2015. The checking center had just nine goals and 12 points last season but is still an effective enough bottom-six option that can take some of the tough defensive matchups. Without him, the team has Nic Petan in the fourth-line center spot at practice.

Earlier this year, Sutter detailed his experience with COVID-19 to Drance after being one of the many Canucks that tested positive for coronavirus last season. He explained then that he had trouble catching his breath and experienced light-headedness. Benning explained as camp started that Sutter was experiencing “fatigue” and he has not joined the team since. The executive confirmed today that Sutter does not have myocarditis. Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet tweets that Sutter trained for most of the offseason without experiencing issues, but the fatigue “started to become debilitating” in mid-August.

Sutter will not be listed on the Canucks active roster and it is not clear when he will be available to the team this season.

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