1980 hockey Olympian Bob Suter dies at 57

Bob Suter, a defenseman for the 1980 Miracle on Ice team and father of Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter, died Tuesday at age 57.

Suter played for the University of Wisconsin, winning a national championship in 1977, before being chosen for the team that upset the Soviet Union and won a gold medal at Lake Placid, N.Y.

"It's a tough day for our sport, having lost a great friend and ambassador of the game," USA Hockey said in a statement. "Bob Suter will always be remembered for his role as a member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Team that captivated our country and whose impact is impossible to measure.

"His legacy, however, is far beyond that as he dedicated his life to advancing hockey and helping young people achieve their dreams. Bob's positive impact on our sport will be felt for generations to come."

Coach Herb Brooks named Suter to the team because he was a feisty, competitive player. Bob, nicknamed Bam Bam, was 5-9, 175 pounds but played with nuclear passion.

"If you had to go to war, you would want to go with Bobby Suter," said Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 team, told USA TODAY Sports in 2010.

Bob Suter said in 2010 that his favorite 1980 Olympic moment came against the Czechs when Brooks "let me loose" to go after some guys who had taken runs at Mark Johnson. "Herb didn't much like the Czechs or the Russians," he said.

Johnson said in 2010 that if there was an opportunity to stick up for your teammates "it would always be Bobby Suter leading the pack."

Added Johnson: "He was a good skater. He was tenacious taking the puck to the net. He was the classic Bobby Orr type: Take the puck to the net, and if he couldn't get by the defenseman he would crash into the goalie."

Suter never played in the NHL, but his brother, Gary, played 17 seasons in the league and also played in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. Ryan is entering his 10th NHL season and played in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.

Bob Suter did receive a tryout with the Minnesota North Stars.

"I guess I didn't have the patience to see if I could make it," he said. "I didn't want to be a career minor leaguer. I wanted to get on with my life."

Ryan Suter has said that his dad never talked about 1980 much while he was growing up.

"It was never my dad the gold medalist. It was my dad the hard-working guy who runs a sporting goods store and does what he can for youth hockey," he told USA TODAY Sports in 2010.

Bob Suter had been serving as a scout for the Wild at the time of his death.

"Not only was Bob a great hockey ambassador, he was a terrific person off the ice who will be greatly missed by all of us," the Wild said in a statement.