Injury Report: Ryan Suter (Lower-Body Injury, Out for Season)

[Cluttered]

some players like the pressure, like to keep busy. like they said about miller last night, the fact that he is struggling in st. louis might be because he thrives when being shelled by shots. now that he is well protected he seems to be having a hard time getting in the zone.
not saying that suter would be worse if he had less minutes, but he plays really great with what he has now. but heaven forbid, don't expect this to go on for too many more years.

 

[57special]

I think Suter's play has been really good( and surprisingly fast) when his minutes have been kept down under 25, and preferably less than that.

When he plays more, I see more of the deliberate, slow play, where he looks like an old man when he skates. I'm wondering if it also affects his performance on the PP, weakening an already weak shot , and slowing down his passing decisions.

 

[BigT2002]

To me, it is about the marathon and not the sprint when it comes to Suter's minutes. I recall too many articles from Russo stating he wrapped like a mummy when the game is over and he seems to vanish come Round 2 in the playoffs (much like a few other ones) because they've had to grind half a season like it was the playoffs because there wasn't competent 5/6 who could play 10+ minutes a game no problem.

 

[57special]

Yeah, I don't want to hear that he likes to play 30 minutes/ game and that it makes no difference to his performance. It does make a difference in the short term - I'm thinking of a recent game where he caught up to a forward on a break- but even more cumulatively. I want him to be feeling good when the PO's start.

I understand that there will be some growing pains as we play our other D more, but I think it's worth it. Suter is an elite Dman when he is rested. I'd rather have 24 excellent min./ night than 28 pretty good min..

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

The 30+ minutes games are going happen on occasion. So far, he's played 28+ minutes in only 3 of 11 games, 2 of which were OT games.

So far so good.

 

[MNRube]

I think Suter's play has been really good( and surprisingly fast) when his minutes have been kept down under 25, and preferably less than that.

When he plays more, I see more of the deliberate, slow play, where he looks like an old man when he skates. I'm wondering if it also affects his performance on the PP, weakening an already weak shot , and slowing down his passing decisions.

Absolutely does. The legs feed the wolf in hockey, perhaps more than any other sport except maybe basketball. Shooting a puck at an NHL level requires more than strong arms/wrists, it is all about core strength and turning your entire body into a violent slingshot of sorts. Very hard to do when your legs are heavy. If you're tired you end up with the High-School level wristshot we see from Suter sometimes. His shot looks much harder this year.

 

[gphr513]

Absolutely does. The legs feed the wolf in hockey, perhaps more than any other sport except maybe basketball. Shooting a puck at an NHL level requires more than strong arms/wrists, it is all about core strength and turning your entire body into a violent slingshot of sorts. Very hard to do when your legs are heavy. If you're tired you end up with the High-School level wristshot we see from Suter sometimes. His shot looks much harder this year.

I have noticed that his shot looks harder as well. He's actually let a couple semi-dangerous looking slap shots go from the blue line.

 

[BigT2002]

I have noticed that his shot looks harder as well. He's actually let a couple semi-dangerous looking slap shots go from the blue line.

Anyone know how fast he's shooting as opposed to previous years? I'm all about accuracy over MPH, but having it going 90+ certainly helps.

 

[Uberdachen]

His shot still looks pretty awful. My favorite was one where a defender casually reached up and caught it like an aged origami butterfly. But I love how excited he is to let it loose anyways.

 

[Victorious Secret]

Shot looks better than previous years, but that's not saying much. Also, looks a lot better when he limits his minutes. I'd really like him at 25 minutes or less.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Well, if we could stop playing so damn many 1 goal games...

 

[Victorious Secret]

Well, if we could stop playing so damn many 1 goal games...

We lack killer instinct and proper goaltending. Comes with the territory.

 

[57special]

Anyone else see what I am seeing? Suter is playing worse, after being our best player in the first half. I noticed the same thing last year, but he had the extenuating circumstances of family tragedy and mumps, so it was hard to draw conclusions.

Yeo is playing him marginally less this year... 28 1/2 min. Vs. 29 min.. He did say he was going to lessen his minutes this year, but I envisioned something a bit more substantial. It's not like we've had injuries with our D.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I think he is still the best player on the ice but if you make a breakout pass to a player who loses it at the blueline or dumps it in and then loses a board battle, it won't look good for Suter. Like everyone else, I think he should be on the second pp and get some rest then, but his calm, his positioning, his ability to tell people where to be... all elite.

 

[57special]

Anyone else notice that Suter's minutes have been creeping up? Seems like BB can't avoid the temptation to okay him more than his intended 25 min per game.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm sure some of it has to do with Reilly vs. Scandella.

 

[hirawl]

Suter playing on avg <~27 mins per game is awesome. Just awesome. Underrated as hell also.

After that it's a whole different story when it comes to the team doing good. Managing his minutes is the biggest issue this team faces. He is the most important player on the team. In more than just one way.

 

[Wabit]

Anyone else notice that Suter's minutes have been creeping up? Seems like BB can't avoid the temptation to okay him more than his intended 25 min per game.

I don't think BB really trusts Reilly, Prosser, Scandella, and Dumba defensively yet. Suter/Spurgeon and Brodin/Folin have earned his trust.

Scandella/Dumba needs to be a reliable pairing for Suter's ToI to drop. They weren't to start the season. I am hoping he doesn't have the 29min+ games once Scandella gets his game legs under him.

He's earning his ToI this season more than the previous ones. The games where he's a little off his ToI drops. In the first 2 periods his ice time seems down, but gets worked hard in the 3rd period (when the bench gets shortened).

I don't think he'll be an under 25 min player this year, he's too good. 27 min/night seems like a good number to shoot for.

 

[57special]

Good point about Scandella. He should be back to normal in a couple of games. He is a far better player than Folin when healthy.

 

[57special]

Suter 3rd in AVG.TOI per game. Only a second less than Doughty, and 6 seconds less than Buff.

So, he is playing less, but nowhere near the under 25 min. that BB seemed to want for him. With Brodin's injury I would bet that he is back to the #1 spot in a couple of weeks.

It is 1 1/2 min. less than last year, and 2 min. less than the year before, so it is heading in the right direction.

Spurgeon is #19 in TOI, at just over 24. Tied for 35th in scoring, with less games played than most. LOL at anyone who doubts his cred as a #2 Dman.

 

[Wabit]

Suter 3rd in AVG.TOI per game. Only a second less than Doughty, and 6 seconds less than Buff.

So, he is playing less, but nowhere near the under 25 min. that BB seemed to want for him. With Brodin's injury I would bet that he is back to the #1 spot in a couple of weeks.

It is 1 1/2 min. less than last year, and 2 min. less than the year before, so it is heading in the right direction.

Spurgeon is #19 in TOI, at just over 24. Tied for 35th in scoring, with less games played than most. LOL at anyone who doubts his cred as a #2 Dman.

Suter is the Wild's blankie. Things go bad, they turn to him. He really has earned his ToI. I don't think he's the reason the Staal PP unit hasn't been good lately (FWD group takes that blame).

I would like to see his ToI come back down to more games in the 26 min range. But with Brodin out and Scandella not being himself, I don't see that happening.

 

[57special]

Yeah, a Scandy comeback would be huge.

 

[TaLoN]

Suter 3rd in AVG.TOI per game. Only a second less than Doughty, and 6 seconds less than Buff.

So, he is playing less, but nowhere near the under 25 min. that BB seemed to want for him. With Brodin's injury I would bet that he is back to the #1 spot in a couple of weeks.

It is 1 1/2 min. less than last year, and 2 min. less than the year before, so it is heading in the right direction.

Spurgeon is #19 in TOI, at just over 24. Tied for 35th in scoring, with less games played than most. LOL at anyone who doubts his cred as a #2 Dman.

He is getting less time per shift this year though to, just more shifts. He's not getting any 2:30 second shifts he'd sometimes see under Yeo.

 

[57special]

Just another quietly awesome game for Suter. Got a primary assist, but played rock solid D. It's amazing how easily he shuts down speedy forwards as they try to take him to the outside. He just sticks his forearms into their ribs and it just totally kills their rush.

He made one mistake losing the puck right around our net, but he caught to the guy, took the puck back, and moved it up the boards. He has none of the flash of a Burns or a Karlsson, but his play leaves me in awe just about every time. His ES and PK play is peerless. PP is very good, but can tend towards the over deliberate. If he plays with a bit more pace he is fine there, too.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Yeah, Suter doesn't play flashy-enough to get awards or more praise from non-MN media besides "He plays a lot of minutes", but he's a guy that you can put out there against any players and in any situation and be pretty confident nothing bad will happen from him. His calmness/poise in his own end is nuts, he just doesn't panic.

He's also so sneaky strong. He doesn't hit people much but he just kinda stops them effortlessly.


I just love the Suter-Spurgeon pairing so much. Two players that are both great defensively and very good puck-movers. Both very smart, mostly understated players.