21-07-2025
Is Brett Sutter a rising star in the coaching ranks? The Calgary Flames believe so
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A hat-trick of Brett's uncles — Brent, Brian and Duane — have also been big-league bosses, while Ron was previously Calgary's director of player development.
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Forced to hang up his gear due to injuries, Darryl was still in his late 20s when he switched to a suit and tie. His coaching climb included two campaigns of calling the shots in the minors.
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Brett had just turned three when Darryl led the Indianapolis Ice to the IHL's Turner Cup in 1990.
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He grew up around the rink as his dad was guiding Ed Belfour, Chris Chelios and Jeremy Roenick in Chicago, then Patrick Marleau, Owen Nolan and Teemu Selanne in San Jose.
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Flames fans don't need any sort of refresher on what happened in 2004, when 'The Jolly Rancher' spurred Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, Conroy and the rest of a hard-hatted squad on an improbable run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. If only replay technology was a little more advanced back then …
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'Even though Brett only has the one year of coaching experience, I just think the whole career part of it and the blue-collar work ethic that he has, quite honest, I think it leads up to a long career for him,' Darryl told Postmedia. 'He was raised in a locker room, so he understands the team part of it. I remember taking him into the locker room in Chicago when he was a little boy. You learn a lot being in the locker room, and he has basically done that his whole life. He's lucky in that sense.
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'Brett, his leadership skills are off the charts. He was captain of, what, three or four teams? And his hockey IQ is really high. He knows the game. I think he understands what it takes and the roles, that sort of thing.
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'And he's obviously familiar with the whole organization, from ownership right down to the trainers. So I think it's perfect for him and it's great for the Flames to develop a young coach like that.'
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The pipeline has been a positive story for the Flames over the past few seasons, with Matt Coronato, Dustin Wolf and Connor Zary among the graduates from farmhand to fixture.
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As Conroy seeks to build a contender, that trend must continue. Brett Sutter now plays a vital role.
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The Wranglers' roster for this upcoming season should be stocked with youngsters. It's possible that more than half the guys in their lineup on any given night will be in their early 20s — among them, forwards Andrew Basha, Matvei Gridin, Sam Honzek, Rory Kerins, William Stromgren and Aydar Suniev, defencemen Hunter Brzustewicz, Artem Grushnikov, Yan Kuznetsov and Etienne Morin and goaltender Arsenii Sergeev. (The oldest dude on this list is 23.)
