Two Generations in NHL at same time.

[MovesLikeJagr68]

Was just wondering the other day about the Suter family. I grew up watching Gary Suter who was one of my favourite defencemen of the 90s, and it always seemed that the second he left the league, his nephew was there on the scene. It was actually only a difference of a couple years when Gary played his last game and Ryan played his first.

It would have been amazing to have seen the two of them in the league at the same time against or with each other. I know that Gordie played with his sons briefly, which is awesome, and I'm curious to know if another situation like this has happened?

Also who are some of the guys out there who had sons at a younger age, and the stretch possibility of seeing a father-son in the NHL together?

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[Kcoyote3]

Brodeur's son got drafted in NJ.

 

[Galchenioretty]

Nothing as cool as when Griffey Sr and Jr hit back to back HRs

 

[kaiser matias]

This mostly complete list gives some idea of what your asking: List of family relations in the NHL

But aside from the Howes, no father and son have played in the NHL at the same time. Father has coached son before though, example Lester Patrick coaching his sons Lynn and Muzz with the Rangers back in the 1930s and 1940s.

 

[izzy]

Michael Nylander to sign in Toronto.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

When Darryl Sutter was GM of the Flames, his son Brett played for them. Darryl traded him away in 2010

Brent Sutter coached while his son Brandon played, though not for the same teams.

 

[CoupeStanley]

This mostly complete list gives some idea of what your asking: List of family relations in the NHL

But aside from the Howes, no father and son have played in the NHL at the same time. Father has coached son before though, example Lester Patrick coaching his sons Lynn and Muzz with the Rangers back in the 1930s and 1940s.

Boom Boom Geoffrion also coached his son Danny in 1979.

 

[FanHabtic*]

Gordie and Mark Howe played a few seasons together.

 

[Don Chytil]

Not the NHL, but last year Kasperi Kapanen played on the same team as his dad, Sami Kapanen. They played for KalPa in the Liiga.

 

[Hawksfan2828]

The Hawks invited Chris Chelios' son to camp when Chelios was still playing for Detroit... That was weird given the odd relationship Chris has with the Hawks.

 

[RJ8812*]

Brodeur's son got drafted in NJ.

ya, but he'll never play in the NHL

 

[MarkGio]

It's almost impossible. All the stars have to align for this to happen.

1) The father has to bear children at a young age. It's hard to focus on being an NHLer when you have kids at home, and it's even harder to put in the effort to make your son an NHLer when your busy playing hockey

2) The Father has to have a long career. Like Chris Chelios long.

3) The son has to develop into an NHLer quickly, in that he has to make the make the lineup by 22 years old

4) The father's team has to trade for or draft the son, as well as ensure they don't trade away the father. In today's NHL, there's no longer career franchise players. Lots of transition.

5) The father needs to have a boy, since women can't make it to the NHL. Families are having fewer and fewer children, thereby decreasing the odds of having a boy in a family.

6) The odds of being skilled enough and developed enough to make it to the NHL alone is astronomical (in some cases, big bodied enough too). Millions of kids take up hockey across the globe and only 210 get drafted each year.

There's probably more factors I'm not considering. I can't see it happening in today's NHL, where it's now a billion dollar league.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

I know Brett and Bobby Hull were VERY close to playing at the same time. Just missed. Brett started a couple of years after Bobby retired. Still kinda cool.

 

[idontwatchockeyatall]

ya, but he'll never play in the NHL

I was actually mad they drafted him over someone who might actually have a chance of making it ( I know it was the last pick but still)

 

[Blueline Bomber]

The Sutter clan has had sons, fathers, uncles, and cousins all over the league lately.

 

[kaiser matias]

I know Brett and Bobby Hull were VERY close to playing at the same time. Just missed. Brett started a couple of years after Bobby retired. Still kinda cool.

Six years isn't that unusual for a son to follow his father into the NHL, which is how long it took for Brett to make it after Bobby retired.

 

[TomDelonge]

Six years isn't that unusual for a son to follow his father into the NHL, which is how long it took for Brett to make it after Bobby retired.

So you admit it is kinda cool?

 

[Analyzer*]

Steve Gainey played 20 games with Phoenix while his father, Bob was GM/Coach in Montreal.

 

[BostonBob]

I know Brett and Bobby Hull were VERY close to playing at the same time. Just missed. Brett started a couple of years after Bobby retired. Still kinda cool.

I don't think 7 years is very close. Bobby Hull's last year in the NHL was 1979-80 and Brett Hull wasn't even drafted until 1984 and then played his first NHL game in the 1986-87 season. Just missed......not exactly.


EDIT - I see kaiser matias beat me to it.

 

[bigbuffalo313]

Gordie Howe's final career goal was assisted by his son

 

[Archangel]

The Sutter clan has had sons, fathers, uncles, and cousins all over the league lately.

but no goalies if I am not mistaken

 

[Machinehead]

It's possible, but we're not gonna see it as much as we used to. People in general are having kids at a much older age on average than they did even 15-20 years ago.

 

[Huokaus]

Gordie Howe's final career goal was assisted by his son

Didn't know that. That's very cool

 

[amnesiac]

didnt Howe play with both his sons, Mark and Marty? or was that only in the WHA?

and I know Kasperi Kapanen played with his dad, Sami, in Finland(?)

 

[Passchendaele]

The closest thing you'd see is a uncle/nephew combo.

For example, Marcel Dionne is 19 years older than little brother Gilbert. Now if Gilbert's career didn't go down the drain by age 25, and if Marcel's son Garrett had had NHL talent it could have happened since they were born only ten years apart.

But bottom-line, it's a lot of ifs so it didn't happen.