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Brandon Sutter Exceeding Expectations

By Ryan Ritchie

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Brandon Sutter was drafted 11th overall at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by Carolina Hurricanes. He’s a right-handed center who’s now 26 years old standing 6’3 190 lbs. Brandon played four seasons for Carolina appearing in 286 games, while producing 107 points over that span. He had established himself as a quality top-six forward by the end of his tenure in Carolina.

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    • At the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Carolina traded Brandon Sutter, Brian Damoulin, and 2012 first rounder (Derrick Pouliot) to Pittsburgh for Jordan Staal. To date, it’s not a trade that worked out very well for either team, but Pittsburgh’s defensive prospects have yet to make an NHL impact. Jordan Staal has definitely offered a slight upgrade in scoring production, but I’m not sure the trade worked out the way either side expected.

    In three years with Pittsburgh, Brandon Sutter played 209 regular season games (only missed three games), accumulating 73 points. He also appeared in the playoffs for Pittsburgh 33 times, adding 12 points. But after failing to meet expectations, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford decided to trade Brandon Sutter for the 2nd time managing a different team with only three years in separation. Safe to say Jim Rutherford doesn’t particularly like the guy?

    This past offseason, Pittsburgh traded Brandon Sutter and third round pick to Vancouver for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening, and 2nd round pick. In eight games with Pittsburgh, Bonino has one goal, while Clendening has only appeared in one game.

    Oct 1, 2015; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Brandon Sutter (21) skates against against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

    Following the trade back in late July, Vancouver proceeded to sign Brandon Sutter to a five-year extension a week after trading for him. The deal was five years at $21.875 million with an annual cap hit of $4.375, which will run through the 2020-2021 season. Some questioned the extension in the offseason, but Sutter has quickly quieted the doubters.

    The Canucks are 4-2-3 with 11 points to open 2015-16, and Brandon Sutter is off to a hot-start leading the team in scoring with seven points in nine games. The lines will continue to be juggled in Vancouver until decisions on Jake Virtanen and Jared McCann are made. Brandon Sutter has been seeing time on the third line lately, but is likely to move up the depth chart as the season progresses.

    Sutter has a career high of 40 points in his young NHL career, and with seven points in nine games, he’s on pace for 63.78 in 2015-16. Now it’s unlikely Brandon continues scoring at this impressive pace, but what are the chances he puts up a career high in points? Can the Canucks continue to exceed expectations as Brandon Sutter has, or are both destined to hit a wall at some point?

    Next: Jeremy Bracco Leaving NCAA for OHL?

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