Hochman: Ryan Suter, a St. Louis Blue? Still weird to hear, entering home opener vs. Wild

The first time Ryan Suter played at Enterprise Center, it wasnt even Enterprise Center.

Heck, it wasnt Scottrade Center, either.

It was Savvis Center.

On Oct.

15, 2005 the same day the Cardinals Matt Morris faced the Astros Roger Clemens in the National League Championship Series the Blues hosted the Nashville Predators.

George W.

Bush was in the White House, Matt Blunt was in Missouris Governors Mansion.

And that night down at Savvis, the boys in blue had to deal with a new nuisance on the Nashville blue line.

Ryan Suter, just 20, played his fifth NHL game and tallied two assists in the visitors 4-1 win.

And now, on Oct.

15, 2024 19 years to the day Suter will play at Enterprise Center yet again but this time, and for the first time, as his home ice.

The home opener is Tuesday night.

So after 19 seasons of bruising the Blues and tormenting Blues fans, Suter is now actually a member of this team.

It is crazy.

I mean, I played against these guys my whole career and been in the same division, said Suter, 39, who played for Nashville, Minnesota and Dallas before signing with St.

Louis this summer.

A lot of battles and a lot of emotions up and down.

And now to be on the team is exciting.

...

There are just tons of memories.

Playoffs twice.

Just all the emotion, and its such a sports town every time weve come here, whether the Cardinals were also playing or the Rams mightve even been here at that time.

Thats how long hes been in the NHL it seems like forever since the Rams left St.

Louis, yet Suter was in the NHL for 10 years before the Rams even left.

Now, Suter is no longer the player he was in 2017 or perhaps even 2007 but hes formidable enough to crack the Blues third defensive pairing (and he makes an affordable $775,000).

Admittedly, its simultaneously cool and bizarre to see him out there in the Bluenote.

He just has a calming presence, said St.

Louis coach Drew Bannister, whose Blues are 2-1 and host Minnesota, which is actually still paying Suter this year (because Suter has been bought out by the Wild and the Stars, hes actually making money from three franchises in 2024-25).

I think hes been really good for our group as a whole, just the experience he has, not only in the (dressing) room but on the ice.

Hes played solid hockey for us.

We have eight really good (defensemen) that we can put out on every night, but I think hes been a big part of our back end and the transition of getting our (defense) up the ice quickly.

And his physical play ending plays.

Real good stick.

You know, theres a reason hes been in the league for as long as he has.

Just how long? Suter has now played in 1,447 NHL games.

Only 28 players ever have played in more games.

And he could pass some famous names on the chart this season: Wayne Gretzky is 24th at 1,487, Mike Modano is 22nd at 1,489 and Steve Yzerman is 21st at 1,514.

And if Suter plays all 82 games (1,525), hell pass Brendan Shanahan (1,524) for 19th.

Man, 1,447 games played.

Thats more than the combined total of Pavel Buchnevich (520), Robert Thomas (399), Jordan Kyrou (337) and Jake Neighbours (132).

And Suter has also logged 133 postseason appearances.

In 2015, his Wild beat the Blues 4-2.

And in 2017, the Blues knocked off the Wild 4-1 (where have you gone, Magnus Paajarvi?).

I think thats the biggest thing having a guy around like that has been around for so long, seen so much, Blues teammate Brandon Saad said.

Its great to just be able to talk with him and fall back on his experiences.

You just have his presence around hes always calm, cool and collected because hes been through it all.

Perhaps youve noticed a theme both Bannister and Saad referred to the calm Suter brings to the club.

Sure enough, Neighbours used the word, too.

Hes sturdy back there on the ice, its just simple, predictable and you kind of know what youre going to get from him, Neighbours said.

Every time the puck in his hands, you kind of know what hes going to do with it.

And that makes it really easy on a forward to kind of read and react off of him.

And then off the ice, just calm, cool, collected.

Such a leader in this room already.

He knows what to say at the right moments.

Its quite possible that Suter wont be on the Blues by the end of the season.

If St.

Louis isnt in the playoff hunt and Suter is still hunting puck-handlers like the good ol days hes the ideal type of player to trade to a contender.

One-year contract.

And hes never won the Stanley Cup.

But for now, hes a Blue and as the franchise retools with players even 17 years younger, Suter is maximizing his minutes and role.

Its just a fun group guys know when to turn it on for practice and games, Suter said.

A great group of guys.

...

It helps when you start out winning..

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