Bob Suter
Encyclopedia
Robert Allen Suter is a retired American
ice hockey
defenseman
and member of the Miracle on Ice
1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team won the gold medal
team. He is the brother of former National Hockey League
(NHL) player Gary Suter
and father of current NHLer Ryan Suter
and Garrett Suter who plays for the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association
.
. He played college hockey at University of Wisconsin–Madison
and was a member of the 1977 NCAA hockey champion Wisconsin Badgers
. He was mostly noted for his rough play, setting several Badger records for penalty minutes before leaving in 1979. He initially joined the Tulsa Oilers under a tryout contract for a few games in late 1979, but soon joined the 1980 US Olympic hockey team on a full time basis, where he won the gold medal.
of the NHL
and also no. 58 overall in the 1977 World Hockey Association
draft by the Birmingham Bulls
. He rejected Los Angeles' contract offer following the 1980 Olympics, and instead sat out 1980-81 season to become an unrestricted free agent. He came out of retirement in the spring of 1981 to play for the United States team at the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Stockholm
. Suter signed with the Minnesota North Stars
as unrestricted free agent in 1981, but spent the entire 1981–82 season in the Central Hockey League with the Nashville South Stars
farm team. He retired in 1982 without playing a single game in the NHL.
.
TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, except in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.
In the 2004
Disney film Miracle
, he is portrayed by Pete Duffy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
and member of the Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
team. He is the brother of former National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) player Gary Suter
Gary Suter
Gary Lee Suter is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He played his junior hockey for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, high school hockey at Culver Military Academy and then moved on to the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
and father of current NHLer Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter is a professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for and serves as an alternate captain for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League . He is also an alternate captain of the US Olympic Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics...
and Garrett Suter who plays for the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point
The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point is a public university located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin...
in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division III as a hockey-only conference....
.
Amateur career
Suter Attended Madison East High SchoolMadison East High School
Madison East High School is one of four comprehensive four-year high schools in Madison, Wisconsin. It was established in 1922, making it the oldest high school still operating in Madison. The school mascot is the "Purgolder", an animal resembling a puma. Madison East athletes compete in the WIAA...
. He played college hockey at University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and was a member of the 1977 NCAA hockey champion Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
. He was mostly noted for his rough play, setting several Badger records for penalty minutes before leaving in 1979. He initially joined the Tulsa Oilers under a tryout contract for a few games in late 1979, but soon joined the 1980 US Olympic hockey team on a full time basis, where he won the gold medal.
Professional career
Suter was selected with the 120th pick in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and also no. 58 overall in the 1977 World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
draft by the Birmingham Bulls
Birmingham Bulls
The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
. He rejected Los Angeles' contract offer following the 1980 Olympics, and instead sat out 1980-81 season to become an unrestricted free agent. He came out of retirement in the spring of 1981 to play for the United States team at the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. Suter signed with the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
as unrestricted free agent in 1981, but spent the entire 1981–82 season in the Central Hockey League with the Nashville South Stars
Nashville South Stars
The Nashville South Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League for the 1981-82 season. They then played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League for the 1982-83 season and part of the 1983-84 season before the franchise relocated to become the Virginia Lancers.It had been...
farm team. He retired in 1982 without playing a single game in the NHL.
Post playing career
Suter returned to Madison after his retirement and opened a sporting goods store called Gold Medal Sports. He also coached youth hockey in Madison after his retirement and became a part-owner and director of Capitol Ice Arena in Middleton, WisconsinMiddleton, Wisconsin
Middleton is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. It is a western suburb of the state capital, Madison but it was actually founded before Madison. It got its name from Middletown, Connecticut; the "w" being dropped was due to a paper work error made by long time historian Edward Kromrey...
.
In popular culture
Suter was not featured in a 19811981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, except in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.
In the 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Disney film Miracle
Miracle (film)
Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
, he is portrayed by Pete Duffy.
Awards and achievements
- WCHAWestern Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
All-Star Second Team: 1978-79 (Wisconsin) - 1980 Olympics Gold Medal