We continue to detail the last 12 months of development for each of the Washington Capitals’ prospects with a review and outlook for the Riley Sutter Center. (You can access all of the Capitals’ prospects reports and player analysis on the “Prospects” page here.)
Vitals
Sutter, a 23-year-old center, was drafted by the Capitals in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Sutter signed a three-year rookie contract with the Capitals on September 29, 2018 at a price of $925,000 AAV . With slides in his first two seasons, Sutter became a restricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season, but he was outqualified by the Capitals at the end of June 2023.
Professional life
Sutter played four seasons of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL), all with the Everett Silvertips. He started his junior hockey career in 2015-2016 and played in 31 matches, scoring only 1 goal.
Suter greatly improved his productivity for the 2016-17 season, playing in 67 matches, scoring 20 goals and giving 18 assists. He was even better during the 2017-18 season when he played in 68 matches scoring 25 goals and 28 assists. During the 2018 post-season, he recorded nine goals and 10 assists in 21 post-season games.
Sutter had a great start to the 2018-19 season, with 14 goals and 27 assists, before he was sidelined for the remainder of the regular season due to an injury. During his four-year career in the WHL, he scored 137 points, 60 goals, 137 penalty minutes, and a +38 rating in 204 games.
The 2019-20 season saw Sutter move to the AHL. Unfortunately for him, his season would again be dominated by injuries from the start, after he was injured at the Capitals prospect in Nashville. He had one goal and three assists in his rookie campaign.
The 2020-21 season was somewhat similar for Sutter, as he will miss 11 of the Bears’ 36 games due to injury. He scored no goals and nine assists in 25 games played during the Covid-shortened season.
Sutter’s 2021-22 campaign was very similar to his previous seasons in the AHL. Injuries hampered his season from the start. It showed occasional positive sequences during gameplay, but recording remained an issue. He produced only 31 shots for the season, with a shooting percentage of 6.4%. Sutter finished the season with two goals and six assists in 39 games and missed the Bears in three postseason games.
The 2022-23 season was Sutter’s best as a pro. He has remained relatively healthy, but more importantly he has settled into his position role on the fourth line and has done a very good job. The effort alone earned a qualifying bid from the Capitals. Riley is still the Bears’ best point, but his fourth line was the most valuable for the Bears. Head coach Todd Nelson relied on the trio like the Bears’ shutout line and they responded almost every night, all while setting a physical tone at the start of every game. Sutter also became a leader in retributional bear killing.
Monthly summary and analysis of trends from 2022 to 2023
The following is a compilation of Riley Sutter’s monthly odds reports through the 2022-2023 season. You can find all of your monthly leads on the “Prospects” page in the top menu.
October
It was the surprise of the first month. After failing to land a role in its first three seasons, Sutter’s role was unclear entering the season. The Calgary, Alberta native has rigged a role as a screening center. He has turned himself into a reliable penalty killer, being one of the first two tacklers sent over the boards when Bears territory was shortened.
Sutter sacrifices his own body by going down to block the shots. He has improved in confrontations. Offensively, the former NHLer’s son Ron Sutter tied his career high with two goals.
Monthly score: 4.0
November
After scoring two goals in the first three games of the season, Sutter’s offense dried up. The Calgary, Alberta-born player finished November with a scoreless 10-game lead and one assist in his last 17 games, and an assist on November 11.
However, Sutter played an important role for the Bears. His death sentence was excellent. He is the first forward on the boards of directors for coach Todd Nelson and played a huge role in that unit’s success.
The son of former NHL center Ron Sutter, he is also the best receiver for Hershey’s tackles. It also centers the fourth line which has been a steady source of energy for the chocolate and white. It took him a few years, but Sutter finally made the role for himself.
Monthly score: 3.0
December
In his fourth professional season, Sutter finally carved out a role for himself. It is the center of the fourth line, which is the role of examination, and its line is the power line.
The son of former NHL center player Ron Sutter also became one of the best killers on the team. He is often the first tackler on the plates when the Bears are shorthanded.
Sutter is also the best defender on the team. While it contributes the most nights in these areas, the Calgary, Alberta native has had some struggles this month. He was under five after being plus one in December. Sutter has an assists month and has five points this season.
Monthly score: 3.0
January
Sutter missed his first three games of the season in January. One for the suspension and the other two as a health scratch when the Bears got reinforcements from Washington. Sutter doesn’t offer much offense. He had one assist in seven games for the month and had nine points on the season.
However, the Calgary, Alberta native contributes in other ways. He is strong in confrontations and provides a physical presence in the fourth line. Sutter is also one of the best killers on the team. He is consistently one of the first attackers deployed when Hershey is headed for murder.
Monthly score: 3.0
February
Sutter Center effective fourth line Hershey. The Calgary, Alberta-born player scored two goals and assisted on another, making February Sutter’s most productive offensive season.
Sutter scored a two-point game in Bridgeport on February 3. The Pivot opened the scoring 25 seconds into the second period when they rebounded off a Mason Morelli shot. Sutter added a minor assist for Beck Mallenstein outcome of the third period.
His other goal came against Lehigh Valley on 25 February. He tied the game in the second period when he tapped in from Joe Snelly at the back door. It was Sutter’s fourth goal of the season, and the highest of his career.
Former NHLer Ron Sutter’s son also set a career high with nine points. Crime is not where Sutter makes his greatest impact. He is strong in confrontations and his fourth line is constantly providing energy for the bears. Suter is one of the best killers on the team and is usually one of the two forwards who start the penalty kick.
Monthly score: 3.0
He walks
Sutter struggled to find his footing during the first few seasons of his career, but he’s found his role this season and has played his part very well. The Calgary native from Alberta does the little things well.
Riley Sutter hits the Marlies’ Alex Steves, again with good form. #HBH # the capper pic.twitter.com/256uRbwLxb
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) March 4, 2023
Sutter focuses the fourth line, the team’s energy trio. The line has proven to be productive in the past few months and can be counted on to be strong defensively.
The Pivot is one of Hershey’s best penalty kick kills and the Bears helped improve their killing technique in the March. It usually comes on top of the boards with a BIC Mallenstein As the first forwards on the ice when a team is shortstop.
Sutter failed to score in March, but still played his part and contributed in other ways.
Monthly score: 3.5
POSTSEASON
Sutter and the fourth line continued their stellar play in the postseason, as a large portion of the Bears team participated in their 12th Calder Cup. Nelson used the fourth line on home ice to thwart Coachella Valley scoring streaks. The inability to match lines was very noticeable in matches held in Palm Desert.
Sutter scored one of the Bears’ biggest goals in the postseason, giving them an overtime victory over Coachella Valley.
Riley Sutter wins it on the OT! We have a chain! #HBH # the capper pic.twitter.com/kr3E7qBdXG
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) June 14, 2023
Sutter was tied for third on the Bears in Best plus/minus for the postseason, which was impressive considering he was often up against the opposition’s best lines.
Monthly score: 3.5
Summary of monthly results
player expectation
Sutter settled into his fourth row position role and did very well. Prior to the 2022-23 season, it was hard to imagine Sutter being a potential future replacement for Nick Dodd at the Capitals’ fourth line position. All of this changed as a result of his 2022-23 campaign.
Sutter and the fourth line were arguably the Bears’ most valuable line all season. They made a defense of the shutdown and established a physical presence that impacted the opposition every night. Sutter continues to be a force on the frontline and becomes a force to be reckoned with in retribution killing.
The Capitals indicated that they would like to see what Riley can do next season by making him a qualifying offer, which was the right move. Will he continue to take great leaps in development? If so, the capitals next position could be in the fourth line.
Written by John Sorensen
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