Ryan Suter
Age: 37
Birthplace: Madison, Wisconsin
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 200 pounds
2021-22 stats: 7 goals, 25 assists, 32 points in 82 games
Contract: Salary cap hit of $3.65 million at three years remaining
Video: NJD@DAL: Suter nets PPG, records 100th career goal
Performance evaluation
After getting bought out by the Minnesota Wild, Suter came to Dallas and had a great season.
In fact, the change of scenery might have been the best thing for the veteran defenseman.
He stepped away from the leadership spotlight that was very bright in Minnesota, and he joined forces with an old friend Joe Pavelski, and that combination seemed to help his performance. Suter was second on the Stars in time on ice at 23:39 (over a minute per game more than he had in Minnesota his previous season), tallied 32 points, and was second in puck possession stats for defensemen at 51.0 percent SAT.
All in all, it was an impressive year for the 37-year-old who came in at a cap hit of $3.65 million, which has to be seen as a bargain right now considering his time on ice.
The only criticism might be that he didn’t look as strong in the playoffs, despite playing 22:38 per game. His SAT dropped all the way to 38.8 percent in the seven games against Calgary, although most of the team saw a huge drop as the Flames dominated puck possession and shots on goal in that series.
Video: LAK@DAL: Suter one-time home equaliser
Expectations for 2022-23
Like Pavelski, Suter continues to prove that he can maintain a consistent performance despite his age. The two veterans from Wisconsin seem to feed off each other and push each other, and the results have been impressive.
Suter played all 82 games and has played every game for the past four seasons. He is a durable veteran who can continue to log top minutes if needed.
The question for the Stars new coaching staff would be: Is that the best use of Suter?
He played a ton with Miro Heiskanen last season, and he could be the top candidate to play beside him again this year. But you also have to imagine the coaching staff would look at possibly putting Suter with Jani Hakanpaa or Colin Miller as Suter has expressed a preference to play with a right-handed defenseman.
Whatever happens, the guess is Suter will be a huge part of the blueline in 2022-23. Yes, Miller or Thomas Harley could be in line for more power play minutes, and that could affect Suter, who averaged 2:06 last season in man advantage time on ice.
But the bottom line is that Suter sure looks like a top four defenseman as he approaches his 38th birthday in January.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
.