In hockey circles the lineage is nothing less than royal. The name, instantly familiar, synonymous with grit and effort and pushing past any and all adversity.

The son of former New York Islanders center Brent Sutter, Brandon Sutter has followed ably in the daunting family footsteps. Born in Huntington, N.Y., during his dad's tenure on Long Island, the younger of Brent's two boys played two of his three Western Hockey League seasons at Red Deer for his father, who was the coach and general manager.

As a 16-year-old in 2005-06, Sutter scored 22 goals, the most by anyone of that age group. Sutter's junior tenure also included an opportunity to play with the WHL Selects at the Canada-Russia Challenge during the 2007-08 season and selection to the Canadian Hockey League's Top Prospects Game in 2006-07.

Sutter also won a gold medal at the 2008 World Junior Championship when Canada edged Sweden 3-2 in a dramatic overtime finale.

Selected by the Carolina Hurricanes with the No. 11 pick in 2007 NHL Draft, Sutter played his final season with Red Deer in 2007-08, scoring 26 goals and 49 points in 59 games before turning pro and joining Albany of the American Hockey League for the final seven regular-season games and seven postseason games.

Sutter established himself as a solid two-way center through a 21-goal, 40-point 2009-2010 season with the Hurricanes. He'd spend another two seasons in the Carolina organization before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 22, 2012 as part of a package that sent highly coveted center Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes.

In the ensuing three seasons, Sutter established himself as a dependable third-line center, solid faceoff man and one of the Penguins' key penalty-killers, and on Aug. 5, 2014, he signed a two-year contract extension.

But on July 28, 2015, Sutter was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, who signed him to a five-year contract extension on Aug. 4, 2015.