Report: Bob Suter passes away from heart attack at age 57

According to a report from the Wisconsin State Journal's Andy Baggot, former Wisconsin defenseman and 1980 United States Olympian Bob Suter has passed away at age 57. Baggot reports the cause of death was an apparent heart attack.

Terrible news for the Madison and U.S.hockey communities: Sources say Bob Suter has died of an apparent heart attack.

— Andy Baggot (@AndyBaggotWSJ) September 9, 2014

Suter grew up in Madison and attended East High School before joining the Badgers. Suter played at Wisconsin from 1975 to '79, helping the Badgers to the 1977 NCAA National Championship.

After leaving UW, Suter skated for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that pulled off arguably the greatest upset in the history of sports. That team went on to win the gold medal, one of just two gold medals for the United States in ice hockey.

The news is devastating to not only Badger hockey fans, but hockey fans across the globe. Bob will be remembered for his accomplishments with the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, but his dedication to the sport in the state Wisconsin is a legacy that will live on forever.

Suter has helped coach and develop youth hockey players in southern Wisconsin with his Madison Capitols AAA program over the past few dozen years and has churned out a long list of Division I and professional hockey players, most notably Phil Kessel and his son, Ryan, a defenseman with the Minnesota Wild.

Our deepest condolences to the Suter family and fans of hockey across the globe who just lost an incredible person.

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