Ex-Canucks centre Brandon Sutter making comeback attempt with Oilers

Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Sutter isn’t ready to give up on his NHL dream. The 34-year-old centre that last played a competitive hockey game over two years ago with the Vancouver Canucks is reportedly making a comeback attempt.

According to a report out of Edmonton from Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED, Sutter will attend Oilers training camp on a pro tryout contract.

Down in Red Deer for the Battle of Alberta Golf Tournament for the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre

Hearing that Brandon Sutter, 34, 6’3” right shot center…who hasn’t played the last couple of seasons…
Will be coming to @EdmontonOilers Training Camp on a PTO

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) August 9, 2023

Sutter has been sidelined for more than two full NHL seasons due to long-haul symptoms of COVID-19. He was one of 21 Canucks players that contracted the Gamma variant virus in the spring of 2021, prior to vaccines being widely available in Canada. The Canucks were shook worse than any other pro sports team in North America because of it.

Sutter returned to action to finish the 2020-21 season, but he hasn’t been able to live a normal life since.

He opened up about his struggles in March in an interview with Donnie and Dhali on CHEK TV.

Long-haul symptoms began materializing for him in the summer of 2021.

“I started noticing difficulty breathing sometimes,” Sutter said. “I couldn’t really figure out what it was. When I really started ramping up my training in August, and skating and everything, I just started realizing there was no way I could do this. I started having all different kinds of symptoms. It’s bizarre and it’s frustrating because you’re with a group of guys that all got the same strain… we’re all connected with it, and no one else had any issue with it after a couple weeks.

“Here I am two years later, and I’m still grinding.”

Sutter said he still wasn’t 100%, but indicated that he was improving.

“I’m back to working out again, which feels good, because for the longest time I couldn’t do much for training or skating, or nothing,” said Sutter. “I’ve been working out and skating with the Rebels in Red Deer again here. Kind of keeping my body going and again, I’m not sure if I’ll get back to playing again or not, but I’m at least going to give myself a chance.

“I’m hopeful to give it another try in the fall if I can. It’s nice to just [be] feeling better, I’ve still got some work to do. I’m not normal yet. It’s nice to be a normal dad, a normal guy again and get through the day-to-day stuff without too much difficulty.”

If healthy, Sutter could be just what the Oilers need on their fourth line. Sutter’s specialty is the penalty kill, which is an area Edmonton struggled in last season, as they ranked 20th in penalty-kill percentage (77%).

The veteran centre was also strong in the faceoff dot, winning 52.5% of his draws during his six seasons with the Canucks.

Born in Huntington, New York, Brandon is the son of former NHL player and coach Brent Sutter. Brandon grew up on Long Island and Chicago before his family settled in Red Deer, Alberta after Brent’s playing days were over.

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