COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Guy Gosselin (Grafton, Wis.), who led Team USA to a silver medal at the 2017 Para Sled Hockey World Championship in Gangneung, South Korea, has been named head coach of the 2017-18 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team and 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team, it was announced today by USA Hockey. This will be Gosselin’s second Paralympic Winter Games after serving as an assistant coach for the gold-medal winning 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team alongside head coach Jeff Sauer (Madison, Wis.), who passed away last February.
“Guy was tremendous in leading us to the gold-medal game in last year’s world championship and the obvious choice for the job given his experience with our players over the last several years,” said Dan Brennan, director of sled hockey national teams for USA Hockey and general manager of the 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. “Having been on the coaching staff for four of our championship teams, including at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, we’re confident Guy will carry on the great foundation that Coach Sauer created within this team.”
“I am extremely honored to have this opportunity,” said Gosselin. “This team has become accustomed to winning thanks to a deep talent pool that includes a mix of accomplished veterans and promising youngsters. I’m excited for tryouts next month and look forward to leading this team through to next year’s Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.”
This will be Gosselin’s third stint with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. In addition to serving as head coach for Team USA in last year’s world championship, Gosselin also worked alongside Sauer as an assistant coach from 2011-15. During his time with Team USA, Gosselin helped the U.S. claim gold medals at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and the 2012 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Hamar, Norway, as well as a silver medal at the 2013 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Goyang City, South Korea.
“Guy’s experience with USA Hockey as a player and a coach – and more specifically with this team – speaks for itself and we’re excited to have him leading this team in PyeongChang next year,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. “USA Hockey’s international success in sled hockey is a credit to the clubs and volunteers that have helped create arguably the deepest talent pool in the world.”
U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team
Coaches & Results
Paralympic Winter Games
Year Head Coach Record (Place)
2014 Jeff Sauer 4-0-0-1 (Gold)
2010 Ray Maluta 5-0-0* (Gold)
2006 Keith Blase 3-2-0* (Bronze)
2002 Rick Middleton 6-0-0* (Gold)
1998 Angelo Bianco 1-3-1* (6th)
1994 Did Not Compete —
A two-time U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team member (1988, 1992) and three-time U.S. Men’s National Team member (1986, 1990, 1991), Gosselin is currently a regional manager of USA Hockey’s American Development Model.
Prior to joining USA Hockey, Gosselin served 14 years as general manager of the Ozaukee Ice Center in Mequon, Wisconsin. He helped found the NCAA Division III Concordia University Wisconsin men’s and women’s ice hockey teams and implemented on- and off-ice youth programs.
Gosselin played professionally for parts of six seasons, including a stint with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets following the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. In North America, Gosselin skated two seasons (1988-90) with the Moncton Hawks of the American Hockey League and finished his career with the International Hockey League’s Kansas City Blades in 1993-94. He also skated in Sweden for two seasons (1990-91, 1992-93) with Skellftea AIK.
The University of Minnesota Duluth graduate played parts of five seasons (1982-87) with the Bulldogs’ men’s ice hockey team. A 2013 UMD Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Gosselin helped lead UMD to back-to-back (1984, 1985) Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships and Frozen Four appearances.
HOFF TABBED ASSISTANT COACH; SUPPORT STAFF NAMED
USA Hockey also announced today that David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D.) has been named an assistant coach for the 2017-18 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team and 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. Hoff joined the U.S. staff midway through last season and is currently the head coach of the Bottineau High School boys ice hockey team in Bottineau, North Dakota, where he also serves both as an athletic director and mathematics teacher for Bottineau High School.
Team USA also named its support staff for the 2017-18 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team and 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team, which includes athletic trainer Mike Cortese (Boynton Beach, Fla.), equipment manager Joel Isaacson (Houghton, Mich.) and team physician Mike Uihlein (Grafton, Wis.). Cortese, Isaacson, and Uihlein have been staff members for the past five seasons.
2017-18 U.S. NATIONAL SLED HOCKEY TEAM TRYOUTS SET FOR JULY 15-16
Tryouts for the 2017-18 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will take place July 15-16 at Northtown Center in Williamsville, New York.
Over 60 players are expected to try out for the national team. The players will be divided into four teams and play two scrimmages on Saturday, July 15, and one scrimmage on Sunday, July 16.
Preceding the tryouts is the 2017 USA Hockey Sled Hockey Player Development camp, which begins Sunday (July 9) at Northtown Center and concludes on Friday (July 14). Nearly 60 male and female sled hockey players are expected to take part in the six-day camp, which includes daily practices and games.
NOTES: Coaches and staff of the 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team is subject to U.S. Paralympics Games Division approval … Labatt USA is a proud sponsor of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team … Last season, Team USA earned a silver medal at the 2017 Para Sled Hockey World Championship in Gangneung, South Korea, following a run of six-straight major international titles that included the the 2016 (Dec.) World Sled Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, P.E.I.; the 2016 IPC Sled Hockey Pan-Pacific Championship in Buffalo, New York; the 2016 (Jan.) World Sled Hockey Challenge in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia; the 2015 IPC Sled Hockey World Championship in Buffalo, New York; the 2015 World Sled Hockey Challenge in Leduc, Alberta; and the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia …
