Duane Sutter

Lore & Background

Duane Sutter was drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round (17th overall) in 1979. He made his NHL debut early in the 1979-80 season and played in all 21 playoff games, scoring a goal in game six of the Stanley Cup Final as the Islanders won their first of four consecutive championships. He was dubbed 'Dog' by teammates for his yapping and barking before and during games. He played alongside his younger brother Brent on the Islanders from 1980-81 until Duane was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1987. He played for the Blackhawks from 1987 to 1990 before retiring. In eleven NHL seasons, he never missed the playoffs.

In Their Own Story

The Pacific Coast Arena hummed with a nervous, electric energy. It was 1981, and the Kings were about to play their first playoff game. In the tunnel, Duane Sutter laced his skates with the same calm he brought to every breakaway, his eyes already scanning the ice in his mind. Darryl clapped him on the shoulder. Dave stood at the end of the line, jaw set. Three brothers, one jersey, one shot at history. The puck dropped, and Duane was gone — a streak of purple cutting past two defenders before the crowd even finished its roar. The net bulged. The arena lost its mind. For one frozen moment, the Kings were real.

Reader's Guide

Duane Sutter had seven seasons with 100+ penalty minutes and two 50-point seasons. He led all players with 7 points in the 1983 Stanley Cup Final and had 21 total points in the playoffs that year. After retiring, he became a scout for Chicago, then a head coach in the WHL and IHL, then an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers in 1996. He served as interim head coach of the Panthers in 2000-01 and was fired mid-2001-02. He remained with the Panthers in player development until 2008, then joined the Calgary Flames as director of player personnel. He left for the Edmonton Oilers as a pro scout in 2011, becoming Vice President of Player Personnel in 2016 until he was let go in 2019.

Did You Know?

• Duane Sutter is one of the famed six Sutter brothers to play in the NHL.
• He won four Stanley Cup championships in his first four NHL seasons, all with the New York Islanders.
• He and his brother Brent led all players with 7 and 5 points during the first three games of the 1983 Stanley Cup Final.