Ryan Suter

American defenseman who played for the Minnesota Wild and most recently the St. Louis Blues.

Ryan Suter (born January 21, 1985) is an American professional ice hockey player who is a defenseman. He most recently played for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars. Internationally, Suter has represented the United States national team at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He is also the owner of the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Quick Facts

Born

21 January 1985

Birthplace

Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.

Position

Defense

Shoots

Left

League

NHL

Team

Free agent

Former teams

Nashville Predators
Minnesota Wild
Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues

Draft

7th overall

Lore & Background

Suter was born into an athletic family as his father, Bob Suter, was a member of the United States team that won gold medals in the 1980 Winter Olympics after defeating the Soviet Union in the famous 'Miracle on Ice' game. Suter's uncle, Gary Suter, was a longtime player in the NHL. Suter was born on January 21, 1985, in Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. to parents Bob and Diane. He grew up in Wisconsin alongside his younger brother Garrett while their father coached at the University of Wisconsin and their mother worked as an ice hockey administrator.

Reader's Guide

Suter played for the Madison Capitols and Culver Military Academy before joining the USA Hockey's National Development Team. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was drafted seventh overall by the Nashville Predators. He played for the Milwaukee Admirals during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. He made his NHL debut on October 6, 2005, and scored his first NHL goal on December 21, 2005.

He signed a four-year, $14 million contract extension with the Predators on June 16, 2008. On July 4, 2012, he signed a 13-year, $98 million contract with the Minnesota Wild. He scored his first NHL hat-trick on January 4, 2014, against the Washington Capitals. During the 2015–16 season, he set a personal best with 43 assists and 51 points.

On October 19, 2018, he recorded his 500th NHL point. On October 25, 2018, he played in his 1,000th NHL game. On July 13, 2021, the Wild bought out the remaining four years of his contract. On July 28, 2021, he signed a four-year, $14.6 million contract with the Dallas Stars.

He was bought out of the final year of his contract for the second time in his career. On July 10, 2024, he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the St. Louis Blues. He played his 1,500th NHL game on February 8, 2025, and appeared in every regular season game with the Blues, posting 2 goals and 15 points in 82 appearances.

Did You Know?

Suter was named to the United States' roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics on January 1, 2010, and served as an alternate captain.
He was selected to represent the United States at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey alongside Wild teammate Zach Parise.
Suter accepted an invitation to represent the United States at the 2019 World Championship on April 19, 2019.
In 2020, Suter was named to the IIHF All-Time USA Team.
Suter is married to Becky Suter (née Palmer), who is from Bloomington, Minnesota, and they have four children.