Jonathan Toews Retires from NHL

Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) has called it a career.  

Toews, 38, announced his retirement last week after playing last season with his hometown Winnipeg Jets, where he recorded 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in 82 outings. He skated 16 full seasons in the NHL, all but one with the Chicago Blackhawks, whom he captained to three Stanley Cup titles after they drafted him third overall in 2006. He tallied 383-529—912 points in 1,149 NHL regular-season games overall with Chicago and Winnipeg, and added 45-74—119 points in 137 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, all with Chicago, while leading the Blackhawks to NHL titles in 2010, 2013, 2015, their first championships since 1961.

The Winnipeg native helped Team Canada to gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2006 and 2007, and at the Olympic Winter Games in 2010 and 2014. He also skated in two IIHF World Championships, and won a World Cup in 2016. As an NHL player,  he also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoff MVP in 2010, the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in 2013, and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2015. He sat out the 2023-24 and 2025-25 campaigns due to illness.

After prepping at Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota, Toews played two collegiate seasons at North Dakota, collecting 40-45—85 points in 76 games while helping UND to the 2006 WCHA conference championship and two NCAA Frozen Fours. He turned professional in 2007-08 with Chicago, was named Blackhawks captain the following season, and never a played game in the minor leagues.

U.S. Men Claim 2026 Olympic Gold Medal

The Miracle on Ice finally got some company.

Exactly 46 years to the day that the Americans defeated the Russians at Lake Placid, the U.S. men's hockey team won its third goal medal ever with a 2-1 victory over Canada in overtime in the championship game Sunday at the XXV Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy.

Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils scored less than two minutes into the 3-on-3 overtime, assisted by Zach Werenski (Michigan), to give the U.S. the win and its first Olympic men's hockey title since 1980. Cale Makar (Massachusetts) had tied the game in the second period for Canada, which was seeking its first Olympic men's gold since 2014, the last time that NHL players participated in the Olympics. Matt Boldy (Boston College) scored Team USA's first goal of the day in the first period, assisted by Quinn Hughes (Michigan), on the Americans' first shot on goal.

Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) stopped 41 shots for the Americans, including a point-blank save on Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) in the second stanza. Toews later posted the lone assist on the goal by Makar, his teammate with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche. Canada outshot the U.S., 42-28, overall but went 0-for-3 on the power play, including a two-man advantage in the second period, while the U.S. finished 0-for-2.

It was America's first Olympic men's hockey gold medal won outside the United States, as the first came in California in 1960. The U.S. won both Olympic hockey gold medals this year, with the American women also defeating Canada, 2-1 in OT, on Thursday.

U.S. Men Top Latvia in Olympic Opener

Brock Nelson (North Dakota) scored two goals, including the game winner, as the U.S. men's hockey team opened its 2026 Olympic Winter Games with a 5-1 win over Latvia on Thursday in Milan, Italy.

Jack Eichel (Boston University) and Quinn Hughes (Michigan) set up two goals apiece for the Americans, who also got their opening goal from Brady Tkachuk (Boston University). Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) made 17 saves in net for Team USA.

In other Olympic men's hockey action, Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) scored a goal off an assist from Cale Makar (UMass), and Canada went on to blank Czechia, 5-0. Canada takes on Switzerland today, while the U.S. will face Denmark on Saturday.

U.S. Women Open 2026 Olympics with Win

The U.S. Women's Hockey Team got off to a good start at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina, Italy with a 5-1 victory over Czechia on Thursday. 

Hayley Scamurra (Northeastern) scored two goals for the Americans, while Tessa Janecke (Penn State) notched two assists and Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) made 14 saves.

Team USA takes on Finland tomorrow in its next contest.

ADDENDUM: The United States blanked Finland, 5-0, with team captain Hillary Knight scoring her 14th career Olympic goal, tying her for first among American skaters all-time. 

Former NCAA Women's Players Attain NHL, Hockey Hall of Fame

The first female assistant coach in NHL history is an NCAA graduate. 

Jessica Campbell (Cornell), who spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, was elevated this week to the same position with the parent club Seattle Kraken. In both her campaigns with the Firebirds, she helped them to two Western Conference titles and two Calder Cup Final appearances.

Campbell, 32, from Moosomin, Sask., began her coaching career in 2017-18 as an assistant with Pursuit of Excellence for two seasons, then moved on to Okanagan HA 1U18 Prep for one year. She also served as assistant with Malmo (Sweden), where she had completed her playing career in 2019-20, and then served with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers (Germany) and with Team Germany in 2021-22 before joining Coachella Valley.

A product of the Melville Prairie Fire organization, Campbell played forward at Cornell from 2010 to 2014, collecting 46 goals and 54 assist for 100 points in 131 NCAA games while helping the Big Red to six combined ECAC Hockey titles and four NCAA tournament berths, including two NCAA Frozen Fours. She then played three years professionally for the Calgary Inferno, notching 29-21—50 points in 63 outings.

Last month also saw two former NCAA women's forwards and college teammates named to the Hockey Hall of Fame, in Natalie Darwitz (Minnesota) and Krissy Wendell-Pohl (Minnesota). Both will be formally inducted in Toronto this November with the rest of the Class of 2024.

Darwitz, 40, from Eagan, Minn., scored 316 goals over four years playing for Eagan High School. At the University of Minnesota, she registered 102-144—246 points in three years, while also starring with the U.S Women's National Team, garnering five IIHF Women's World Championship silver medals, three Worlds gold medals, two Olympic silver medals and an Olympic bronze medal. She went on to work as an assistant college coach at her alma mater in two separate stints, sandwiched around a six-season tenure as head coach at Hamline University, and last year served as general manager with PWHL champion Minnesota.

Wendell-Pohl, 42, from Brooklyn Park, Minn., spent her women's scholastic career scoring 229 goals in 60 games over two years at Park Center High School. She then moved on to Minnesota, where in three seasons with the Golden Gophers she tallied 106-131—237 points while also serving as captain her junior year. Her trophy case with Team USA includes five IIHF World Championship silver medals, a Worlds gold medal, an Olympic silver medal and an Olympic bronze medal. Since 2021, she has served as an amateur scout with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Both Darwitz and Wendell-Pohl played at Minnesota from 2002 to 2005. In that span they helped the Golden Gophers to three NCAA tournament appearances, the first two national championships in program history, and four WCHA crowns.

Ryan Miller Headed to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Longtime NHL goaltender Ryan Miller (Michigan State) is headed to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as a member, as was announced last week.

The East Lansing, Mich. native, who retired as an active player at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, also guided the United States to a silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, before winning the Vezina Trophy later that year as the NHL's best goaltender. He posted a 391-289-88 career record with a 2.64 goals-against average and 44 shutouts in 796 NHL regular-season appearances with Buffalo, St. Louis, Vancouver and Anaheim from 2002 to 2021. 

Miller, 42, also went 28-27 with a 2.52 GAA and three shutouts in 57 career Stanley Cup playoff outings.

The induction ceremony for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame's 50th class will be held Nov. 30, 2022, at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Joining Miller will be U.S. Paralympic goaltender and gold medalist Steve Cash, late USA Hockey executive Jim Johannson (Wisconsin), and Olympic gold medalists Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (North Dakota) and Monique Lamoureux-Morando (North Dakota).

Drafted 138th overall by Buffalo in 1999 after starring in juniors for the Soo Indians (NAHL), with whom he won 52 games over two seasons, the 6-foot-2 Miller went on to play three seasons at Michigan State University (1999-2002). A two-time First Team All-America selection, he went 73-19-12 with a 1.54 GAA in 106 career appearances with the Spartans, and set a then-NCAA record with 26 career shutouts. He also won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player in 2001, when he helped MSU to the NCAA Frozen Four that season.

Michigan State's Keith Retires after 17 NHL Seasons

Former NCAA defenseman Duncan Keith (Michigan State) has hung up his professional skates for good. The Winnipeg native, who skated 17 seasons in the NHL and won three Stanley Cups, has called it a playing career after 1,256 regular-season contests and 151 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.

Keith, 38, played 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, before spending the 2021-22 campaign with Edmonton, where he helped the Oilers to the Western Conference final for the first time since 2006. He finished with 106 goals and 540 assists for 646 points in NHL regular-season competition, while adding 19-72⁠—91 points in postseason play. 

Keith was a member of Chicago's Stanley Cup championship teams in 2010, 2013, and 2015, and was also the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2015 after recording three goals and 21 points in 23 playoff games that spring. He also served as an assistant captain from 2007 to 2021 for the Blackhawks, who prior to 2010 had not won the Cup since 1961.

After playing two years of junior hockey with Penticton (BCHL), Keith skated in 56 games over two years with Michigan State, including the outdoor Cold War contest in fall 2001 at Spartan Stadium. He had six goals and 24 points in his short time with the Spartans, before joining Kelowna (WHL) for the remainder of the 2002-03 campaign, where he tallied 11-35⁠—46 points in 37 outings while also helping the Rockets to a Memorial Cup berth. 

Drafted 54th overall by Chicago after his freshman year at MSU, he spent two seasons with Norfolk (AHL), registering 16-35⁠—51 points in all in regular-season action. He then moved up to the NHL for good in 2005-06.

A two-time winner of the Norris Trophy (2010, 2014) as the NHL's best defenseman, Keith also represented his native Canada several times in international competition, twice at the World Championships and twice at the Olympic Winter Games. He was also a member of Canada's Olympic gold medal squads in both 2010 and 2014.

Canada Outlasts U.S. Women's Hockey for 2022 Olympic Gold Medal

For the second night in a row, a United States hockey team came up short at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

After falling behind by three goals in the first 30 minutes of play, the U.S. women's team fought back with two scores of its own, but ultimately fell short, 3-2, to Canada last night in the gold-medal game in Beijing, China.

Canada regains the gold medal it surrendered to the U.S. in a shootout in South Korea four years ago, and has now won five of the seven gold medals awarded all-time in Olympic women's hockey. The Canadians had earlier defeated the Americans, 4-2, during the round-robin portion of this year’s tournament.

After its opening goal was disallowed due to an offside play, Sarah Nurse (Wisconsin) staked Canada to a 1-0 lead after tipping home a shot. Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin (Boston University) then scored her team’s next two goals, spanning the first and second periods, including the game-winning goal. Poulin has now recorded three game-winners among her seven goals in four Olympic gold medal outings, while Nurse led all scorers in this year's tournament with 18 points, including 13 assists.

Hilary Knight (Wisconsin) tallied a shorthanded goal late in the second stanza to get the Americans on the board. Amanda Kessel (Minnesota) then notched an extra-attacker power-play goal with just 12.5 seconds remaining in regulation, but it was as close as Team USA would get despite outshooting Canada, 16-4, over the final 20 minutes of play.

The U.S. is now 2-4 all-time in gold-medal Olympic contests against Canada, and has earned four silver medals, two gold medals, and one bronze medal (2006) in Olympic competition since women’s ice hockey became a medal sport in 1998. Canada has two silvers (1998, 2018) to go along with its five golds. 

Ann-Renee Desbiens (Wisconsin) stopped 38 shots for Canada in last night's victory, while Alex Cavallini (Wisconsin) finished with 18 stops for the Team USA. Canadian forward Brianne Jenner (Cornell) took home Olympic MVP honors after scoring a tournament-high nine goals in Beijing.

The U.S. and Canada will now look to renew their Olympic rivalry in 2026 in Italy.

U.S. Tops Canada in Olympic Men's Hockey

The United States now sits alone atop Group A play in men's ice hockey at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The Americans defeated rival Canada by a 4-2 count on Friday night in Beijing, China.

After falling behind by a goal in the first two minutes of play, the U.S rebounded to take a 3-1 lead by early in the second period, before adding an insurance goal in the final frame. Andy Miele (Miami), Ben Meyers (Minnesota), Brendan Brisson (Michigan) and Kenny Agostino (Yale) scored for the U.S., with Miele also assisting on Agostino's goal. Strauss Mann (Michigan) made 35 saves in his Team USA debut.

Mat Robinson (Alaska Anchorage) and Corban Knight (North Dakota) scored goals for Canada, the latter shorthanded. Canada outshot the U.S. on the night, 37-27, and also won nearly 72 percent of all face-offs taken.

Team USA (2-0-0-0) will now face Germany in its final round-robin game, while Canada (1-1-0-0) will take on host China, with both contests slated for Sunday.

U.S. Women Advance, U.S. Men Win Olympic Opener

The U.S. women's ice hockey team is moving on at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The U.S. men are just getting started in China.

The U.S. women overcame a one-goal deficit with four straight goals over the final two periods to oust the Czech Republic, 4-1, in a quarterfinal match Thursday night in Beijing. Maddie Rooney (Minnesota Duluth) needed to make just five saves for the Red, White and Blue, which got a goal and an assist apiece from Hillary Knight (Wisconsin), Kendall Coyne-Schofield (Northeastern) and Hannah Brandt (Minnesota). The semifinal opponent for the U.S. (4-1-0 overall) has yet to be determined.

The U.S. men opened its Games on Thursday morning with a 8-0 victory over host China. Sean Farrell (Harvard) led all American skaters with three goals and five points, while Drew Commesso (Boston University) made 29 saves in his Olympic debut. Team USA (1-0-0 overall) will now take on Canada tonight at 11 p.m. ET (USA Network).

2022 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Roster Released

The roster for the 2022 U.S men's hockey team that will compete in Beijing, China next month at the XXVI Olympic Winter Games has been revealed. The team will be entirely comprised of college-trained players, including 15 current NCAA skaters. 

The National Hockey League announced last month that, due to scheduling concerns because of COVID-19, it would not be sending its players to the Olympics for the second straight competition, with the NHL having also declined to participate in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018. That prompted USA Hockey officials to again scour college and non-NHL rosters for possible participants for the Olympics.

The current professional players on this year's Team USA Olympic roster include defenseman David Warsofsky (Boston University), Aaron Ness (Minnesota), Steven Kampfer (Michigan) and Brian Cooper (Nebraska-Omaha), along with goaltenders Strauss Mann (Michigan) and Pat Nagle (Ferris State). Forwards include Kenny Agostino (Yale), Brian O'Neill (Yale), Nick Shore (Denver), and Andy Miele (Miami), with O'Neill the lone holdover from the 2018 American squad that finished seventh in Pyeongchang.

Schools represented on this year's U.S. team include Boston College (two players), Boston University (two), Denver, Ferris State, Harvard (two), Miami, Michigan (four), Minnesota (four), Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, St. Cloud State (two), and Yale (two).

The coaching staff for this year's American entry includes head coach David Quinn (Boston University), and assistants Mike Hastings (St. Cloud State), Brett Larson (Minnesota-Duluth), Scott Young (Boston University) and David Lassonde (Providence).

The roster for the 2022 U.S. Olympic women's hockey team that will compete in Beijing was announced on Jan. 1. It includes 13 returning players from the team that won Olympic gold in South Korea four years ago.

Former NCAA Players Keep Going Places

 Former NCAA hockey players keep going places as the 2021-22 season approaches.

Zach Parise (North Dakota), who was released by Minnesota this summer after nine seasons with the Wild, has signed with the New York Islanders, his father's old NHL club.

Jordy Murray (Wisconsin) has joined Notre Dame as its new volunteer assistant coach, while Mike Jamieson (Northeastern) has returned to his alma mater as its men's hockey director of operations, and R.J. Enga (Colorado College) is joining St. Cloud State as its new men's hockey director of operations and video coordinator.

Former NCAA and NHL standouts Paul Holmgren (Minnesota) and Peter McNab (Denver) will both be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame later this year.

Lastly, current/former NHL head coaches John Hynes (Boston University), David Quinn (Boston University), Todd Reirden (Bowling Green) and recently-retired NHL goaltender Ryan Miller (Michigan State) will serve as assistant coaches to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (Boston University) for the 2022 U.S. men’s hockey team that will compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in China in February.

In other college-related hockey news, the NCAA has added an extra day between games to the men's regional round of the national tournament starting in 2022, while Colorado College officially opened its new on-campus Ed Robson Arena this weekend with the Tigers also taking the ice there for the first time.

DU's Stastny Plays 1,000th NHL Game

Paul Stastny (Denver) played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game on Tuesday night, as his Winnipeg Jets blanked Vancouver, 5-0.

Stastny, 35, the son of Hockey Hall of Fame forward Peter Stastny, was presented with a silver stick by his Winnipeg teammates prior to the game, making him the first player to be so honored in franchise history. He has recorded 263 goals and 492 assists for 755 points for Colorado, St. Louis, Winnipeg and Vegas in an NHL career that began in 2006-07. He has also recorded 25-42—67 points in 97 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, and has never played a game in the minor leagues.

Stastny skated for two seasons at the University of Denver (2004-2006), and as a freshman helped the Pioneers to the 2005 NCAA title while personally winning WCHA Rookie of the Year accolades. In 81 career games at DU, he tallied 36-62—98 points, and earned Second Team All-America status as a sophomore after a 19-goal, 53-point campaign.

Born in Quebec, Stastny grew up in New Jersey and St. Louis, and has represented the United States in international competition on several occasions. He won a silver medal with the U.S. at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and later helped the Americans to a bronze medal at the 2013 IIHF World Championship in Sweden.

Four Named to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Jerry York (Boston College), Dean Blais (Minnesota), Tony Granato (Wisconsin) and Jenny Potter (Minnesota-Duluth) will all be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame this fall.

York, a 1967 BC graduate who has led the Eagles to four NCAA titles since taking over as head coach in 1995, has notched a record 1,067 career wins overall with BC, Bowling Green and Clarkson since 1972, including 600 wins and 11 Hockey East regular season championships at his alma mater. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto last year.

Blais, who played at Minnesota between 1969 and 1973, and later played three years professionally with Dalls (CHL), became an assistant coach at North Dakota in 1980. He became head coach in 1994 and subsequently led UND to national titles in 1997 and 2000, and also guided Nebraska-Omaha to the 2015 NCAA Frozen Four before retiring two years later. In his long career, he also served as head coach with Roseau High School and International Falls High School in Minnesota, as an assistant/development coach with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, and as GM/Head Coach of Fargo (USHL). He also guided the U.S. at four different World Junior Championships, winning the gold medal in 2010.

Granato skated for Wisconsin from 1983 to 1987, where he tallied 100 goals and 220 points for the Badgers. He went on to play 13 seasons in the NHL from 1988 to 2001 with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles and San Jose, recording 248 goals and 244 for 292 points in 774 regular-season outings, and also played for the U.S. at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary. A long-time NHL assistant coach with Colorado, Pittsburgh and Detroit, he twice served as head coach with Colorado, and has been head coach at Wisconsin since 2018.

Potter began her NCAA career with Minnesota in 1998-99 before transferring to UMD for her final three college campaigns. She registered 141-186—327 points in all, and also helped the Bulldogs to the 2003 NCAA title.  A four-time Olympian, she earned two silver medals, a gold medal and a bronze medal while playing for the U.S., and also won a CWHL title with Boston in 2015. A former pro player with the Minnesota Whitecaps, she has served as an assistant high school hockey coach in Minnesota, and as head coach with the women's programs at both Trinity College and Ohio State University.

In other news, the 2020-21 NCAA hockey season is not expected to begin until just before Thanksgiving. 

U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame to Add Three Former Collegians

Former collegiate standouts Brian Gionta (Boston College), Tim Thomas (Vermont) and Krissy Wendell (Minnesota) will all be inducted to the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame later this year.

Gionta, 40, who is still BC's all-time leading goal scorer with 123 goals and nine hat tricks from 1997 to 2001, led the Eagles to four consecutive NCAA Frozen Fours, and also captained BC to the national title his senior season. He played 16 years in the NHL with New Jersey, Montreal, Buffalo and Boston, and won a Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2003 before setting a still-standing Devils’ single-season record by scoring 48 goals during the 2005-06 campaign. The Rochester, N.Y. native tallied 291 goals and 304 assists for 595 points in 1,026 career NHL regular-season games, and also skated for Team USA in two Olympic Winter Games (2006, 2018), while captaining the American squad in his second Olympic go-around.

Thomas won the 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the NHL playoffs that spring as he backstopped Boston to its first Stanley Cup in four decades, and also received the Vezina Trophy that season as the league’s top goaltender. A native of Flint, Mich., he compiled a 214-145-19 record to go with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, and 31 shutouts in 426 career NHL regular-season appearances with Boston, Florida and Dallas. A two-time All-America netminder at Vermont, Thomas, 45, helped the Catamounts to the 1996 NCAA Frozen Four as a junior while recording 81 career victories over four years at UVM. He also gained a bronze medal at the 1996 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games with the United States.

Wendell, 37, played three seasons at Minnesota, where she posted 106-131—237 points in 101 career contests with the Golden Gophers. She tallied 104 points in her third and final NCAA campaign, and also helped Minnesota to the 2003-04 national title. She earned five silver medals and one gold medal at the Women’s World Championships, and also claimed silver and bronze medals, respectively, with the U.S. in two Olympic Winter Games (2002, 2006).

39 Years Ago Today in Lake Placid ...

" .. this impossible dream has come true ..."

USA 4, Finland 2 #MiracleonIce #1980OlympicGold

Minnesota's Martin Retires from NHL

Former NCAA defenseman Paul Martin (Minnesota) has retired from professional hockey.

Martin, 37, who played in 870 career regular-season NHL contests with the New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, and San Jose Sharks, finished with 50 goals and 270 assists for 320 points to go with 238 penalty minutes. A second-round draft choice of New Jersey in 2000, he never missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his 14 full NHL seasons, and also helped San Jose to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. He also tallied 6-40—46 points and 44 PIM in 122 career NHL postseason appearances.

A native of Minneapolis, Martin played three seasons at the University of Minnesota for head coach Don Lucia. A former multiple-sport star at Elk River (Minn.) High School, Martin collected 20-77—97 points and 58 PIM in 127 games overall with the Golden Gophers, including back-to-back 30-assist campaigns. He was also a member of Minnesota's 2002 and 2003 NCAA championship teams.

Martin, who served as an NHL assistant captain with both the Devils and Penguins, also represented the United States on the blueline in the 2001 World Junior Championship, the 2004 World Cup, the 2005 and 2008 World Championships, and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

BC's Gionta Retires as NHL Player

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.

U.S. Men to Open Games Against Slovenia

The 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team will begin its quest for a gold medal in Pyeongchang, South Korea when the Americans take on Slovenia on Wednesday morning at 7:15 a.m. ET at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in their opening game.

Later that night at the same venue, the 2018 U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Team will face archrival Canada at 10:10 p.m. ET. The U.S. women are 2-0-0 following their last game, a 5-0 win over the Olympic Athletes of Russia on Tuesday.

Jim Johannson 1964 – 2018

USA Hockey Assistant Executive Director Jim Johannson (Wisconsin) was memorialized Thursday in Colorado Springs. The general manager of the 2018 U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey team, he passed away in his sleep on Jan. 21. He was 53.

A native of Rochester, Minn., Johannson played for the University of Wisconsin from 1982 to 1986, helping the Badgers to the NCAA title as a freshman. Drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the seventh round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, he played one year in Germany before going on to seven seasons in the International Hockey League with Salt Lake, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.

Johannson’s best professional scoring season came with Salt Lake in 1988-89, when he tallied a career-high 35 goals and 75 points. He also earned the IHL's Ironman Award in 1990, according to HockeyDB.com. A center, he was also a member of the U.S. National Team that finished seventh at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, plus the American squad that finished fourth at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France, according to sports-reference.com. He also skated for the U.S. at the 1992 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Czechoslovakia.

Johannson joined USA Hockey in 2000 after spending five years as general manager with the Twin Cities (Minn.) Vulcans of the USHL, leading them to a national Junior "A" championship in his final campaign. According to USAHockey.com, during his watch with the national governing hockey body, American teams garnered 64 medals in major international competition, including 34 gold, 19 silver and 11 bronze. He also served as general manager for the gold-medal-winning U.S. National Junior men’s teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will begin competition at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Feb. 14.