Brian Gionta (Boston College) has called it a career
after 16 NHL campaigns.
A third-round draft choice of the New Jersey Devils in
1998, Gionta, 39, won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2003, and three years
later set a still-standing franchise record with a career-high 48
regular-season goals to go along with a personal-best 89 points. The Rochester,
N.Y. native went on to serve as captain of both the Montreal Canadiens and the
Buffalo Sabres before finishing his career last spring with the Boston Bruins.
In 1,026 NHL regular-season games, Gionta collected 291
goals and 304 assists for 595 points along with 377 penalty minutes, and scored
at least 20 goals in one NHL season seven times. In 113 Stanley Cup Playoff
contests, he registered 32-36—68 points with 34 PIM. He also recorded 15-23—38
points and 28 PIM in 53 career American Hockey League games with Albany and
Rochester.
A four-time All-America selection and a three-time finalist
for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men’s
hockey, Gionta skated for BC from 1997 to 2001, and is the school’s all-time
leading goal scorer with 123 goals. He finished his collegiate career with 232
points in 164 games, which still ranks him second on the Heights’ all-time
scoring scroll behind David Emma (239 points).
Gionta also helped the Eagles to four NCAA Frozen Fours,
including the 2001 NCAA title, its first national championship in 52 years. He
is also BC's all-time leader with nine career hat tricks. As a senior, he
scored five goals on five shots in the opening period of a 7-2 win against
Hockey East rival Maine, and then helped BC to its third Hockey East Tournament
championship in four seasons, plus the 2001 Beanpot Tournament crown. He was
also named the 2000-01 Hockey East Player of the Year, and shared the Walter
Brown Award that same season with UNH goaltender Ty Conklin as the top American-born
player(s) in the New England collegiate hockey ranks.
Gionta represented the United States in two Olympic
Winter Games, in 2006 in Italy and in 2018 in South Korea. He served as Team
USA's captain in the latter competition, and also played for the U.S. in two
IIHF World Junior Championships and three IIHF World Championships. He will now
serve as a development coach with the NHL’s Sabres.
