Miracle On Ice Hero Bob Suter Dies

Bob Suter, former ice hockey defenseman and member of the Miracle on Ice 1980 gold medal team, has died from a heart attack Tuesday in Madison, Wisc. He was 57.

We're saddened by the passing of Bob Suter, a great man who represented his country on the ice with honor and class. pic.twitter.com/QcCNEtXkVP

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) September 9, 2014

Fans are saddened as the hockey star leaves behind an incredible legacy. Starting his hockey journey off at University of Wisconsin-Madison where he played college hockey and was known for his rough play. Soon after in 1980 he joined the U.S. Olympic hockey team where he helped win the gold medal which in turn upset the Soviet Union.

Sutter didn't have much luck in the NHL as the Los Angeles Kings selected him as the 120th pick in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft. He rejected the King's offer and sat out from 1980-1981 and became a free agent.

The Miracle on Ice player's family knows the sport all too well. His son Ryan Suter is an NHL defenseman and alternate captain with the Minnesota Wild. Bob Suter was the brother of former NHL player Gary Suter, an ice hockey defenseman who played over 1,000 games in the NHL between 1985-2002.

Gary played for the likes of the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks.

Ryan told ESPN that he'd bring his father's gold medal to school because he was very proud of his father. He explains that his dad was so modest that they never even watched the game; to this day Ryan has yet to see it.

"Because my dad's a humble guy, he doesn't talk about it," Ryan Suter said back in 2009. "I haven't seen it. I just hear about it through other people. I didn't really realize it until probably seeing the HBO special on it and realizing how significant it was."

USA Hockey wrote a statement today regarding the legend. "It's a tough day for our sport, having lost a great friend and ambassador of the game," they stated." 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.

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