Sutter & Kolppanen Ranked by NHL Scouting

Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes are proud to congratulate 92-born forward Brody Sutter and 92-born goaltender Ville Kolppanen on being ranked in NHL Central Scouting Service’s Western Hockey League Fall Preliminary rankings. Sutter has been ranked 25th among WHL skaters while Kolppanen has been ranked 5th among WHL goalies.

Sutter arrived in Lethbridge close to the WHL trade deadline last season; coming over from the Saskatoon Blades. He is the tenth player of the famed Sutter family to make his way through the WHL, and was considered a diamond-in-the-rough by Saskatoon when he was listed by the Blades two years ago. His WHL career was hampered by a nerve injury in his shoulder costing him several games at the start of the 08-09 season. He tallied his first WHL goal on January 10th, 2009 in a game against the Vancouver Giants as a member of the Canes and has shown his versatility this season as a solid 3rd line center with seven points (2G, 5A). He is the son of former Lethbridge Bronco and NHL journeyman Duane Sutter and even wears the number 19, the same number his father wore while playing junior hockey in Lethbridge.

Kolppanen was selected by the Canes with their first round pick (32nd overall) in the 2009 CHL Import Draft. The 6’1” 195 pound Finn is a 92-born goaltender who hails from Tampere, Finland; the same city as Hurricanes “Finnish Phenom” Juha Metsola. Kolppanen hails from the same junior club – Ilves Jr. which produced Metsola as well as Finnish standouts Tuuka Rask, Riku Helenius. Lethbridge used their 2007 CHL Import Draft picks to select the Finnish born Metsola and Swiss born defenseman Luca Sbisa. Kolpannen continues to adjust to the North American game, posting a 1-6-0-0 record, notching his first career WHL win on October 3rd; a 9-2 win in Prince George. Kolppanen had a difficult end to October battling injury, but now hopes to be back in the Hurricanes rotation permanently.

(From Ryan Ohashi)