| Born: | August 19, 1958 | Draft: | 1978 Blackhawks, 179th Overall |
| Hometown: | Viking, AB, Canada | Position: | Left Wing |
| Known For: | Two-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Canada | | |
Darryl John Sutter is a former professional ice hockey player and current coach who most recently served as head coach of the Calgary Flames. He has also served as the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks – for whom he played – the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings. He won two Stanley Cup as head coach of the Kings.
Sutter was born in Viking, AB and grew up on a cattle farm. He is one of seven brothers, six of whom played in the NHL during the 1970s and 1980s. Darryl played for the Red Deer Rustlers of the AJHL (Alberta Junior Hockey League) when he was a teenager and later moved to the Lethbridge Broncos of the WCHL (Western Canadian Hockey League). He also spent time playing in Japan, for a team in New Brunswick, and the Flint Generals of the now-defunct IHL (International Hockey League).
He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1978 and made his debut one year later. He played his entire career for the Blackhawks and retired in 1987 to focus on coaching. Sutter coached in the IHL and led the Indianapolis Ice to the Turner Cup as league champions. He then returned to Chicago to serve as an assistant coach.
Sutter was named the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks in 1992. In his first full season, the team finished top of the Norris Division and had a 47-25-12 record, the best in the Campbell Conference. The Blackhawks did not miss the playoffs under his leadership. He resigned after the 1994-95 season, citing personal reasons, and took a three-year break from hockey to look after his family in Alberta.
The San Jose Sharks hired Sutter ahead of the 1997-98 season, and he remained behind the bench until December 2002. Four weeks after he was fired, Sutter was named the head coach and general manager of the Calgary Flames and guided them to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first full season in charge. However, the Flames lost in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Sutter resigned as head coach in July 2006, but he stayed on as general manager until his resignation in December 2010. Under one year later, he was appointed the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings won two Stanley Cups with Sutter as head coach, claiming championships in 2012 and 2014. The Kings struggled to find post-season consistency after the 2013-14 season, making the playoffs once in three seasons. Sutter was fired in April 2017.
Sutter announced his retirement from coaching in 2018 and focused on being a full-time rancher. He came out of retirement in March 2021 to coach the Calgary Flames for a second time until he was fired on May 1, 2023, after winning the Jack Adams Award in 2022.
Years as a NHL player: 1979-1987
Years as a NHL coach: 1992-2018, 2021-present
Darryl Sutter Statistics
Deeper Dive
- The Sutter Family Has Deep Roots in Alberta Hockey
- Flames Re-Hire Darryl Sutter, Relieve Geoff Ward of Coaching Duties
Coaching History
- Chicago Blackhawks (Assistant Coach) 1987-1988
- Saginaw Hawks (Head Coach) 1988-1989
- Indianapolis Ice (Head Coach) 1989-1990
- Chicago Blackhawks (Associate Coach) 1990-1992
- Chicago Blackhawks (Head Coach) 1992-1995
- San Jose Sharks (Head Coach) 1998-2002
- Calgary Flames (Head Coach) 2002-2006
- Calgary Flames (General Manager) 2003-2010
- Los Angeles Kings (Head Coach) 2011-2017
- Anaheim Ducks (Advisor) 2019
- Calgary Flames (Head Coach) 2021-2023
Achievements
As Head Coach
- Won Jack Adams Award (2022)
- Won Turner Cup with the Indianapolis Ice (1990)
- Won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings (2012, 2014)