Former NHLer Darryl Sutter said the most important characteristics for any successful hockey player is a strong work ethic, the ability to listen their coaches and have to fun.
But that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who paid any attention to Sutter’s career.
Sutter is one of seven brothers, six of which played in the NHL and were known for their outstanding work ethic.
Sutter played eight seasons patrolling the left wing for the Chicago Black Hawks amassing 161 goals and 118 assists in 406 career games.
After his playing career in 1987, he became a coach first with the Chicago Black Hawks and its minor league affiliates before moving on to the San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, and the Los Angeles Kings, where he won two Stanley Cups.
Sutter was in Barrhead, Aug. 16, as part of a presentation to Pro North’s hockey school players.
“What made me successful as an NHL player and coach is the same thing that you can do every day. Work hard, listen to your coaches and have fun,” he said.
Sutter said he and his brothers’ work ethic was instilled at an early age working on the family farm, near Viking.
Partially because on a working farm there is always work to do, but also because when they finished their chores the brothers would have a chance to play.
In the winter, after their dugout froze over, it was hockey and in the summer it was baseball and football.
“When we were little boys the only thing we ever wanted to do is play in the NHL and all of us, except for the oldest,” he said.
In addition, to instilling a strong work ethic, Sutter said, growing up with seven brothers, all close in age, also gave them a competitive streak.
“It didn’t matter if we were on the same team or playing against each other we were always competitive,” he said.
Sutter left the farm when he was 16 years old to play junior hockey with the Red Deer Rebels and the Lethbridge Broncos.
“It was a little different back then [mid-1970s] there were no cellphones and the roads weren’t as good, so it wasn’t very easy to stay in contact with your family and sometimes you were lonely,” he said.
In 1978, the Blackhawks drafted Sutter in the 11th round, 19th overall.
“I feel very fortunate to have been able to play, captain and coach, what was my favourite childhood team,” he said, which he joined after a short stint with a professional team in Japan and Chicago’s minor-league affiliate.
Sutter also had the honour of playing with one of his two favourite NHL players. Bobby Hull was his favourite, followed closely by Stan Mikita, who he had an opportunity to play with in his first two NHL seasons.
“He [Mikita] really became a mentor to me and taught me a lot about what it took to be a good professional hockey player,” he said.
One of Sutter’s favourite childhood memories is being able to attend various hockey schools in the summer.
“My mother saved up her egg money and bought us this big tent where the seven of was would stay when we would go to hockey schools,” he said, adding that is why he was so happy to give other youngsters the chance to attend a hockey school, which he ran with his brothers for 20 years in Sylvan Lake.
Sutter then answered questions from the floor.
One young player asked if he had ever played with Wayne Greztky. He said no, but he played against him and the Edmonton Oilers on numerous occasions and that the Sutters and the Gretzky families have become good friends, by getting to know each other through their mutual charity endeavours.
“My dad didn’t give me a lot of advice about how to play hockey when I turned pro, but I remember one time when I was on the farm and I told him I had to leave for training camp he said two things I will never forget,” he said. “The first one was to take care of that girl [referring to his wife] the other was to get Greztky.”
Another player asked what it was like to coach his brothers.
Over the years he coached four of his brothers, Brent, Dwayne, Rich, and Ron.
“It is actually pretty difficult. When I was in Chicago we traded for two of my brothers and before we made the trade I was allowed to talk to them to see how they felt about me coaching them,” he said, noting current NHL rules wouldn’t allow it. “But we talked and made a deal that when we were at the rink we were player and coach, off it we were brothers and it worked out pretty well.”
When asked who his favourite brother was to coach, Sutter said Brent because he was the most talented of us.
Sutter also told the players how important it was to remember hockey is Canada’s game.
“Today there are 31 teams and Canadians make up about 40 per cent, while American’s make up another 40 per cent and the remaining 15 to 20 per cent are from countries like Sweden, Finland, and Russia,” he said. “But never forget where hockey came from. It’s our game, be proud of that. When you meet someone from another country and they ask you about hockey, tell them that it comes from Canada. It is important.”
