Mario Gosselin (ice hockey)

Mario Gosselin
Mario Gosselin
Born	June 15, 1963 (age 61); Thetford Mines, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	NHL; Quebec Nordiques; Los Angeles Kings; Hartford Whalers; AHL; Fredericton Express; Halifax Citadels; Springfield Indians
NHL draft	55th overall, 1982; Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1983–1994

Mario Gosselin (born June 15, 1963 in Thetford Mines, Quebec) is a Canadian former hockey goaltender who played 12 years in the NHL for the Quebec Nordiques, the Los Angeles Kings and the Hartford Whalers.

Playing career

Gosselin played his junior hockey for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL from 1980–1981 to 1982–1983. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques with 55th pick (third round) of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

He was then recruited by the Canadian National Team, for which he played in 1983–1984 and 1984–1985. He helped Team Canada to finish fourth at the 1984 Winter Olympics and was the first Thetford Mines native to take part in the Olympic Games.

Back from the Olympics, he played three games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1984–1985 and stayed there until the 1988–89 NHL season, with very briefs stints with the Fredericton Express and the Halifax Citadels of the American Hockey League.

After a couple of seasons, the Nordiques didn't renew his contract on June 6, 1989 and he signed with the Los Angeles Kings, for one season. Mario Gosselin was the first goaltender in NHL history to lose a game without giving up a goal.^[1] Gosselin filled in for Kelly Hrudey and the Kings would give up an empty net goal. The result was a 7-6 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. In 1990–1991, he signed with the Hartford Whalers and played for their minor league affiliates the Phoenix Roadrunners and the Springfield Indians the next three seasons, being recalled by the Whalers for 16 games in 1992–1993. The following season, he played 2 games in Springfield and 7 in Hartford before suffering a knee injury that ended his season and career.

Personal life

After retirement, Gosselin worked as a radio analyst for the Roadrunners games and hockey coordinator at the YMCA before moving back to the province of Quebec in 1997. He now lives in Saint-Basile-le-grand with his wife, three sons (Francis, Yanick, Justin) and daughter Marylee. Gosselin owns a hockey school called "Ecole de Hockey Mario Gosselin" and works at various high schools as a goaltender coach for their Ice-Hockey programs.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.16, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9

External links

Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
Profile at hockeydraftcentral.com

[1] Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.16, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9

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