On Saturday January 30th, 2010, I was scoring an American hockey league team game, the Texas Stars against the Abbotsford Heat, in Cedar Park Texas. The Heat is the Calgary Flames farm team.
I actually had the rare privilege of meeting Darryl Sutter during the second intermission of the game. It was a pretty good game, the Stars won, and there was a Sutter on that team playing for the Heat.
In 74-76 Sutter played for the Red Deer Rustlers, in the AJHL, where he had 59 goals and 113 assists and 125 PIM. In 76-77 he played for the Lethbridge Broncos in the WCHL for a brief period of time and went back to the Red Deer Rustlers in 76-77 where he scored 55 goals and had 78 assists with 131 PIM. In 77-78 Sutter went back to the Broncos where he played 68 games and had 33 goals and 48 assists and 119 PIM.
In 78-79 Sutter played for the AHL team the New Brunswick Hawks, he played 19 games, had 7 goals and 6 assists, and 6 PIM, and also a brief period with the Flint Generals. In 79-80, Sutter went back to the Hawks played 69 games with 35 goals, 31 assists and 69 PIM.
In 78 Sutter was drafted into the NHL by the Chicago Blackhawk’s in the 11th round, where he played from 1979 to 1987, playing 347 games, scoring 161 goals with 118 assists, and having 288 PIM. Through 87-88 season, Sutter was named Assistant Coach for the Blackhawk’s. In 88-89 Sutter was the Head Coach for the IHL’s Saginaw Hawks. In 89-90 season, Sutter was Head Coach for the IHL Indianapolis Ice where they won the Championship.
In 90-92, Sutter was an associate coach for the Blackhawk’s and in the 92 through 95 seasons was the Head Coach for the Blackhawk’s. In 1997 to 2003, Sutter was named Head Coach of the San Jose Sharks, and 2003 through 2006 was the Head Coach for the Calgary Flames, where he went on from there to be the General Manager to this present day.
In 79-80 Sutter received the Dudley Red Garrett Memorial award with the AHL, and in 89-90 season with the IHL, the Commissioners Trophy.
Sutter, a very nice guy, personable, down to earth, it was a pleasure to meet him, and I wish I would have taken my camera out of my purse.
