Brandon Sutter | #20 | C

[Junkyard Dog]

Definitely enjoying Sutter being healthy.

 

I was looking back on a lot of videos behind the scenes and mic'd up you can tell he helps out the young guys a lot.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/patrick-johnston-finally-healthy-canucks-getting-sutters-best

 

Quote

A deeper Canucks squad means that Brandon Sutter is playing the best hockey of his NHL career.

Brandon Sutter, asked if he’s still the same player today as he was when he first arrived in Vancouver in 2015, laughed.

 

“I think so, I hope I’m better,” he replied. “The league keeps getting better and better, I hope I am too.”

 

The Canucks’ third-line centre is playing the best hockey of his Vancouver days.

 

There are a great many reasons why the Canucks are off to the strong start that they are, which has come as a surprise to most observers. In understanding Sutter’s season so far, we get a glimpse into why the Canucks, as a whole, have raced out to an 9-3-2 record to open their 2019-20 NHL campaign.

 

In a word, it’s a story about depth. While that word has been tossed around in seasons past by Canucks management as being a new-found strength, only for the long grind of the season to reveal it not to be, this year it’s actually true.

 

In the past, players were cast in roles that they weren’t suited to in the long run. Sutter, for example, was hoped to be a “foundational player” by general manager Jim Benning, a guy who could be the next Ryan Kesler, a two-way threat who made life tough for the opposition.

 

But Sutter was never quite that player. And being asked to do things that he wasn’t actually suited to pushed his body to the limit. When he played, he spent more time than you would like chasing the game. And that led to injuries. The Canucks, as a whole, were chasing the game too often and many of his teammates suffered as well.

Last season was a disaster for Sutter, with a terrible shoulder injury in the first half, then a season-ending groin tear in the second. He suited up for just 26 games in 2018-19.

 

When he did play, if it felt like he was trapped in his zone all the time, he essentially was: He posted a career-low shot-attempts-for percentage of 41.2. In other words, three out of every five shots were being taken by the opposition. What’s worse were the shots the Canucks were taking were terrible: His expected-goals percentage, a measure of shot quality, was 27 per cent.

 

But this year he’s healthy and the deeper Canucks are carrying more of the play, which means less physical strain on the players in general.

“For me as you get older, I think you want to keep improving, keep getting better. For me this year, I was really excited, especially after the way things went for me last year,” Sutter said. “Just happy to be in the fight now and motivated to see what our group can do.”

In the Canucks’ opening 14 games he’s at 50 per cent when it comes to shots-for, but more importantly, the Canucks’ expected-goals rate when he’s on the ice has burst into the positive.

 

A lot of the success he’s having this season is about the role he’s playing now. Unlike in past seasons he’s not facing other teams’ biggest offensive threats. Bo Horvat is usually facing down the opposition’s best forwards and Jay Beagle’s line has often been tasked with the opponents’ second-best trios. That’s left Sutter — and often Elias Pettersson — to play a less defensively focused role.

 

That has been a positive factor for him, his coach noted.

 

“I think he’s healthy, he’s feeling good, he’s feeling confident. Probably playing him in different situations, maybe, than he’s played before, it’s not strictly just matchup roles, which is probably freeing him up a little bit,” Travis Green said of the key to Sutter’s current success.

Sutter’s always been a good skater and the way the team is looking to play would seem to play to that strength too.

“I think he’s playing quicker, I like the pace of our team right now, we’re playing a faster game, trying to be aggressive, pushing guys to move their feet. He’s one of them, he’s buying in,” Green added.

 

Sutter also acknowledged the change in deployment. When he’s not starting shifts on the fly he’s still starting more of his shifts outside the offensive zone than in the zone, but, in relative terms, he’s taking fewer defensive-zone draws than in the past.

“A lot of it is the guys around you. We have a deeper team than we’ve had in the past,” Sutter said. “From our back end up, we’re getting more chances, more shots, less time in our zone than maybe previously. That always makes things easier for you, especially when you’re supposed to be strong defensively. It’s nice when you can spend more time shooting pucks instead.”

 

He’s also been very productive when paired with Josh Leivo, who is among the best forecheckers on the Canucks and is an outstanding puck-possession player.

Now, it remains to be seen if the Canucks’ strong play holds over the coming month, as they face a much tougher schedule than they’ve seen to date.

Sutter’s career record shows a player who was often seen as a shutdown player, but his skill set always seemed off for the job. The best stretches of his career are the ones that look like the one he is currently in, where he’s not having to go head-to-head with the league’s best centres.

And that, as we said, has made all the difference. He and his teammates are being set up for success, and they’re finding that success thus far.

Loving that Sutter is proving a lot of his critics wrong that he doesn't have what it takes to keep pace with the game.  He has been a solid pillar defensively, chipped in offensively, and from just the mic'd up vids, you can see how strong his voice is in the dressing room and on the bench.

[FaninMex]

To be fair. Most of his critics do not seem to understand how important D is. That if you have a great PK then you will win a lot more games. Instead they want 12 Petterssons and 6 Hughes.

[-DLC-]

I think the in house competition as players are ready to battle for spots and move up has been good incentive for Sutter.  He didn't always seem as engaged in the recent past but that's really changed.  He is a difference maker when he's fully invested.

[Crabcakes]

13 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

I think the in house competition as players are ready to battle for spots and move up has been good incentive for Sutter.  He didn't always seem as engaged in the recent past but that's really changed.  He is a difference maker when he's fully invested.

That's part of it, the other part is health.  He was battling groin and sports hernia injuries and just could not get around

[JM_]

18 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

I think the in house competition as players are ready to battle for spots and move up has been good incentive for Sutter.  He didn't always seem as engaged in the recent past but that's really changed.  He is a difference maker when he's fully invested.

I think he was engaged as he could be for a guy needed two major surgeries and god knows what other treatments in that span.

 

I don't think his current goal pace will continue but I can easily see him having one of his 15+ goal years along with the solid defensive play. Plus I love that AG is learning on his wing, its a great mentorship situation. 

[Boudrias]

4 hours ago, Jimmy McGill said:

I think he was engaged as he could be for a guy needed two major surgeries and god knows what other treatments in that span.

 

I don't think his current goal pace will continue but I can easily see him having one of his 15+ goal years along with the solid defensive play. Plus I love that AG is learning on his wing, its a great mentorship situation. 

Sutter is consistently mentioned as a team leader and as being well respected by his team mates. I suggest that his injury history is a reflection of his team commitment. He was willing to go the extra distance and his body paid the price. He didn't really have a injury history before coming to Van. The Canuck reality in past years was that opposing teams realized that a physical game would increase their odds of beating Vancouver. Sutter as the 3C was often up against heavier players. He and Horvat were the FO d-zone centers and they paid a big price physically.

 

Don't you just know that he whistles his way to work these days.  

[Toyotasfan]

I think his groin injuries are going to dog him the rest of his career, if he gets a 20 game stretch before the trade deadline where he is healthy and playing well , he’d make a good flip for a big RW .

[FaninMex]

3 hours ago, Toyotasfan said:

I think his groin injuries are going to dog him the rest of his career, if he gets a 20 game stretch before the trade deadline where he is healthy and playing well , he’d make a good flip for a big RW .

We need him to stay healthy or we need someone that can play the minutes he plays. We get rid of him Bo takes his spot. So, Gaud needs to step his ability as a high energy Center that can pot goals consistently to allow that to happen. 

Lots of variables tight now.

[dpn1]

I have been in favor of giving him more time in the "A" but I think I have to say that I no longer think  that.  He has been impressive of late but for him to be in the #3 C he is going to have to improve in the face-off circle.  It is hard to expect Bo to take all the face-offs.  I know he is Capt now but he hasn't had the advantages of of superhuman strength, speed and agility.   He is just a guy. 

[-AJ-]

26 minutes ago, dpn1 said:

I have been in favor of giving him more time in the "A" but I think I have to say that I no longer think  that.  He has been impressive of late but for him to be in the #3 C he is going to have to improve in the face-off circle.  It is hard to expect Bo to take all the face-offs.  I know he is Capt now but he hasn't had the advantages of of superhuman strength, speed and agility.   He is just a guy. 

I'm in the same boat, which is why I think he'll move to the wing at least temporarily, and maybe permanently.

[higgyfan]

46 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

I'm in the same boat, which is why I think he'll move to the wing at least temporarily, and maybe permanently.

It all comes down to how long Sutts is away from the team.  Depending on the severity, a groin injury can take from 2 weeks to 4 months or more.  Hopefully he just tweaked it and he's back in a couple of weeks.  If it's more severe, I think the Nucks have to start looking for another 3C, if they want to get into the playoffs. 

 

It's expecting too much of Gaud to step into 3C so early in his career.  Can't expect Bo to continue on like he has either.  Nucks are in a pickle if this goes on too long.

[sonoman]

1 hour ago, higgyfan said:

It all comes down to how long Sutts is away from the team.  Depending on the severity, a groin injury can take from 2 weeks to 4 months or more.  Hopefully he just tweaked it and he's back in a couple of weeks.  If it's more severe, I think the Nucks have to start looking for another 3C, if they want to get into the playoffs. 

 

It's expecting too much of Gaud to step into 3C so early in his career.  Can't expect Bo to continue on like he has either.  Nucks are in a pickle if this goes on too long.

Apparently joining team on road trip.

[higgyfan]

5 minutes ago, sonoman said:

Apparently joining team on road trip.

That is fantastic news! 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

For Christmas all I wish for is a healthy Brandon Sutter for the rest of the season.

 

Guy is too important to our PK.  Its really suffered without him in the lineup.  I like him flanking as a winger beside Gauds while taking the faceoff duties from him.

[Kanukfanatic]

30 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

For Christmas all I wish for is a healthy Brandon Sutter for the rest of the season.

 

Guy is too important to our PK.  Its really suffered without him in the lineup.  I like him flanking as a winger beside Gauds while taking the faceoff duties from him.

Roussel Gaudette Virtanen are making a very strong case to remain together on that 3rd line.

 

I would not be surprised to see Sutter on the 4th line when he gets back:   Sutter  Beagle  Motte

Edited December 24, 2019 by Kanukfanatic

[Industrious1]

This is usually the time of year where I forget this guy plays for us.

 

I like him when he's in the lineup though, for whatever thats worth.

[iBlueGreen]

9 hours ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

For Christmas all I wish for is a healthy Brandon Sutter for the rest of the season.

 

Guy is too important to our PK.  Its really suffered without him in the lineup.  I like him flanking as a winger beside Gauds while taking the faceoff duties from him.

I can actually see Sutter playing wing on Horvats line.  He'll be taking Loui's place, is my guess.

[Mrwipeout]

Sutter will take the center position on the third while gaud will go to 2nd. With Leivo out u need a new creative player on 2nd and Bos line needs some relief from the defensive work. Sutter is much needed for that. 

[Toyotasfan]

 

Pearson Horvat Sutter 

and leave the other lines alone.

Don’t break up good chemistry.