Canes center Brandon Sutter has the kind of problem many of us can only long for.
"I just don't gain weight," he said Monday.
At 6 feet 3, Sutter is as lean and lanky as a cross-country runner. His listed weight is 183 pounds and he says he's doing anything and everything he can to get bigger and push past the 190 barrier. With no luck.
"I'm still in the 180s," he said. "I tried everything this summer.
"But I definitely feel stronger than the previous year, and as you grow up that's pretty natural. I just try to get stronger and stronger and I think it will help my game."
Sutter, the team's first-round draft pick in 2007, made the roster out of camp last year and played 50 games with the Canes. He centered the fourth line and was used on the penalty kill.
Late in the season, however, a decision was made to send Sutter to Albany (AHL) for a conditioning stint — all the better for him to get more ice time and develop. He then stayed with the River Rats through the end of their season and was a member of the "Black Aces" during the Canes' playoff run.
The Canes then added another center in the offseason in veteran Stephane Yelle. It's expected Yelle will center the fourth line this season, and the Canes are deep up the middle with centers Eric Staal, Matt Cullen, Rod Brind'Amour and Jussi Jokinen.
But Sutter, 20, played consistently well in the prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., helping Carolina win the championship (as well as writing a blog for nhl.com). He hopes to do the same in camp and hope it's enough.
"All you can do is play," he said. "It's a lot different situation from last year. There's a lot of (forwards) here this year.
"But I'm not worrying about that. I'm just going out and playing. If I play well, then I think I deserve to be here."
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
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I had a
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 17:37 — esteban1949Cousin like that, ate like he was feeding 3 tape worms...and the guy even deliberetly laid around for 60 days doing nothing but eat & sleep eat & sleep in hopes to fill up those 2 hollow legs of his, but the guy was a cross country runner in High school and college...and never gained an ounce...he died in a auto accident at the same weight he was in High school 168...and he was 53 when he died 3 years ago...some peole has a strange metabolism that many of us only dream about...and yes Brandon..eat all the Alberta beef you can...but DO NOT wash it down with a Molson...too much BS and problems related to it ! 18 days to go and counting !!
Go Canes !!
The kid is a Sutter for
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 10:19 — mokimanoThe kid is a Sutter for crying out loud...why on earth has the old man not sent him a couple full Alberta cows for his freezer to consume from the family ranch? Good old Alberta beef morning, noon and night should be the staple diet for the boy...and send him a few dozen Tim Horton donuts too for dessert...
Q
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 23:02 — Biff_BeersGive the young man a roster spot with the big club and feed him some twangy NC BBQ daily. (But don't tell Stormy.) That should bulk him up in no time. If not, throw in a dozen hot Krispy Kremes. Worked for me.
No Doubt
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 10:54 — GoShelfYou'd think his Dad would be force feeding him all summer; not that it would be that bad: some of the best steak in the world every meal. While I'm sure he wants to crack the lineup this year it just doesn't seem like it's in the cards with current guys we have. He'll be a nice guy to bring up during the season when injuries occur.
I can help out
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 07:52 — wxray1Snickers, milkshakes, potato chips, chocolate milk all do wonders. Go heavy on the milkshakes, and make them real, not this artificial junk (i.e. fast food). At least you'll get some calcium for your bones.
Beer works too, but stay away from that, it has bad side effects.
I expect there will be times
Mon, 09/14/2009 - 16:34 — ctillI expect there will be times when two of Yelle, Staal, Cullen, Brind'Amour, and Jokinen are hurt. Also, contracts expire after the 2009-10 season for Cullen, Whitney, Walker, and Yelle. Even if there isn't a lot of ice time for Sutter, Boychuk, etc this season, there will be in the following season.