Brian Joseph Gionta was born on January 18,1979 and is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League.
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19 Facts About Brian Gionta
2.
Brian Gionta was drafted 82nd overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
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3.
Brian Gionta was mentored by former NHL forward Marty Reasoner, a Rochester native, and enjoyed his best statistical season in his freshman year on a line with Reasoner, posting 30 goals and 62 points in 40 games as the Eagles fell to the University of Michigan in the national championship game in Boston.
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4.
Brian Gionta followed up with a 60-point season his sophomore year as Boston College was eliminated by their Hockey East rival, the University of Maine, in the Frozen Four semi-finals.
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5.
Largely serving on the right wing of the Devils' prolific "EGG" line – which included Patrik Elias and Scott Gomez – Brian Gionta was one of the Devils' most effective offensive players during his tenure in New Jersey.
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6.
Brian Gionta played 473 regular season games in total for New Jersey, in addition to 67 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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7.
On July 1,2009, Brian Gionta signed a five-year contract for $25 million with the Montreal Canadiens.
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8.
On March 5,2013, Brian Gionta scored the 20,000th NHL goal in the history of the Canadiens in a game against the New York Rangers.
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9.
On July 1,2014, Brian Gionta signed a three-year free-agent deal with hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres, for $4.
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10.
On October 7,2014, Brian Gionta was named captain of the Sabres, Becoming the first New York native to be named to the position.
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11.
Brian Gionta played in his 1,000th NHL game on March 27,2017 against the Florida Panthers in Buffalo.
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12.
On February 25,2018, Brian Gionta signed a one-year, $700,000 contract for the remainder of the season with the Boston Bruins.
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13.
Brian Gionta announced his retirement on September 24,2018, and revealed that he had joined the Sabres as a development coach.
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14.
Since the practice-only contract is not with the NHL, Brian Gionta was able to participate in the Winter Olympics, following the NHL's announcement not to accommodate an Olympic break due to financial disputes with the IOC.
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15.
Brian Gionta was officially named to Team USA's pre-Olympic roster on October 18,2017.
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17.
Brian Gionta has a brother, Stephen, who played for the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.
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18.
Brian Gionta has an older brother Joe, who played for the Aquinas Institute Hockey Team and graduated in 1994.
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19.
Brian Gionta has a home in the Rochester, New York area where his parents still reside.
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