Apr 11, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center
Brandon Sutter(16) looks to block a shot during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Pittsburgh beats Buffalo 2 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Sutter
There have been mixed messages regarding Sutter’s status with the Pittsburgh Penguins Brass. Multiple reports have stated that he was being shopped aggressively this summer, but Jim Rutherford continues to praise him and cites him as a big part of this team for next season.
Brandon Sutter is a statistical anomaly that screams inconsistency. Analytics folks will tell you that he’s a liability and simply a bad hockey player, while others will see his 21-goal season and penalty kill success as a very valuable asset to this team. So, which is it?
The answer is all of the above. Sutter’s inconsistency and poor defensive play has been a glaring hole for him. He also struggles to win 50/50 battles and lacks any real ability to wear down opposing defensemen with physical play. However, he’s an opportunist and a decent finisher that will score a sneaky goal from time to time to turn the game on it’s head. He tallied 4 shorthanded goals last season en route to his 21 total, and that’s something that can’t be ignored.
The Pens need more consistency from Sutter this coming season. He has shown glimpses of solid hockey, but for the most part he just kinda exists and will periodically score an opportune goal. If the Pens are going to be successful, they’ll need Sutter to shed his reputation of a possession black hole and play a much better all-around game.