Ryan Suter

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.

Reader's Guide

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. He 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 in the 2003 NHL entry draft. After one season with the Wisconsin Badgers, he joined the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL for the 2004–05 season due to the NHL lockout. He made his NHL debut on October 6, 2005, against the San Jose Sharks, and scored his first NHL goal on December 21, 2005, against the Chicago Blackhawks. In the 2005–06 season, he was limited to 71 games and 16 points during the regular season and saw no ice time during the playoffs. In the 2006–07 season, he tallied eight goals and 24 points. He scored his first career playoff goal in the Predators Game 3 loss on April 16, 2007. On June 16, 2008, he signed a four-year, $14 million contract extension with the Predators. 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 franchise record for the Wild with the most points by a defenseman in a single season. On October 19, 2018, he recorded his 500th NHL point, and 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. Following the conclusion of the season, 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?

• He was selected to represent the United States at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
• In 2020, Suter was named to the IIHF All-Time USA Team.