Bob Suter

For the Australian rules footballer, see Bob Suter (Australian footballer). For the association footballer, see Bob Suter (English footballer).

Bob Suter
Born	(1957-05-16)May 16, 1957 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	September 9, 2014(2014-09-09) (aged 57) Middleton, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
Position	Defense
Shot	Left
Played for	Tulsa Oilers Nashville South Stars
National team	United States
NHL draft	120th overall, 1977 Los Angeles Kings
WHA draft	58th overall, 1977 Birmingham Bulls
Playing career	1978–1982
Medal record Men's ice hockey Representing the United States Olympic Games 1980 Lake Placid Team

Robert Allen Suter (May 16, 1957 – September 9, 2014) was an American professional ice hockey defenseman and member of the Miracle on Ice 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team who won the gold medal.

He was the brother of former National Hockey League (NHL) player Gary Suter and father of current NHL player Ryan Suter currently playing for the St. Louis Blues. Another son, Garrett, played for the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association. His nephew Jeremy Dehner is a defenseman with most of his career spent in European professional leagues.

Amateur career

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Suter attended Madison East High School. 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.

Professional career

Suter was selected with the 120th pick in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL and also 58th 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 an 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.

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, Wisconsin. Ten months after Suter's death the Capitol Ice Arena was renamed in his honor and is now known as "Bob Suter's Capitol Ice Arena."

Death

Suter died on September 9, 2014, of a heart attack suffered at Capitol Ice Arena. He was the first player from the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to die. In July 2015, Capitol Ice Arena was renamed as Bob Suter's Capitol Ice Arena in his memory.

In popular culture

Suter was not featured in a 1981 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.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1972–73	Madison East High School	HS-WI		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Madison East High School	HS-WI		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Madison East High School	HS-WI		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	University of Wisconsin	WCHA		37	3	13	16	60		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	University of Wisconsin	WCHA		38	3	15	18	107		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	University of Wisconsin	WCHA		42	5	20	25	105		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	University of Wisconsin	WCHA		40	16	28	44	105		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		7	0	3	3	8		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	American National Team	Intl		31	7	11	18	61		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Nashville South Stars	CHL		79	12	21	33	160		3	0	2	2	11
WCHA totals				157	27	76	103	377		—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1980	United States	OLY		7	0	0	0	6
Senior totals				7	0	0	0	6

Awards and achievements

Award	Year
All-WCHA Second Team	1978–79

• 1980 Olympics Gold Medal

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Bob Suter's hockeydraftcentral.com bio
• Bob Suter: #20, a brief history of Bob, Gary and Ryan Suter
• Bob Suter's Capitol Ice Arena