Bill Guerin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill Guerin |
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Guerin in 2015
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| Born | November 9, 1970 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | New Jersey Devils Edmonton Oilers Boston Bruins Dallas Stars St. Louis Blues San Jose Sharks New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins |
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| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 5th overall, 1989 New Jersey Devils |
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| Playing career | 1991–2010 | ||
William Robert Guerin (born November 9, 1970) is a famous American ice hockey player who used to play professionally. Today, he is the general manager for the Minnesota Wild hockey team. Before this, he helped manage the Pittsburgh Penguins and their minor league team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Bill played for 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the top hockey league. He won the Stanley Cup, hockey's biggest prize, twice: once with the New Jersey Devils and once with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Bill also played for the United States in the Olympics in 1998, 2002, and 2006. He also played in two Ice Hockey World Championships. Bill Guerin made history as the first player of Hispanic descent to play in the NHL.
Contents
Bill Guerin's Hockey Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Bill Guerin was picked fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. He played with the Devils from 1991 to 1998. During this time, he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1995.
In the middle of the 1997–98 season, Guerin was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. He moved to his hometown team, the Boston Bruins, in November 2001.
Playing for Different Teams
After scoring 41 goals in the 2001–02 season, Guerin left the Bruins. He then signed a five-year contract with the Dallas Stars. He later signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 3, 2006. Playing with his former teammate Doug Weight, Guerin started playing much better. He was even chosen for the 2007 All-Star Game.
On February 2, 2007, Bill Guerin played his 1,000th NHL game. This made him the 214th player in NHL history to reach this milestone. Later that month, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks. In July 2007, he signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders. He was named captain of the Islanders, becoming the 11th captain in the team's history.
On March 4, 2009, Guerin was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins on June 12, 2009. They beat the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7. It had been 14 years since his last Stanley Cup win, which was one of the longest waits in NHL history for a player.
After the Stanley Cup parade, Guerin signed a new one-year contract with the Penguins. He became the first player to score 20 goals in a season with seven different teams. Only two other players have done this with five or more teams. Bill Guerin retired as a player from the NHL on December 6, 2010. When he retired, he was seventh all-time among American players with 429 goals.
Bill Guerin's Management Career
On June 6, 2011, the Penguins hired Bill Guerin as their player development coach. This meant he helped young players improve their skills. On June 6, 2014, he was promoted to assistant general manager of the team. His job was to focus on using data and analysis to help the team.
After the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, Guerin's role grew. He also became the general manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, which is the Penguins' minor league team.
On August 21, 2019, Bill Guerin was named the general manager of the Minnesota Wild. He is the fourth person to hold this position for the Wild. On March 21, 2022, he was recognized as the "GM of the Day" by TSN for his smart trades during the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline.
Bill Guerin's Life Outside Hockey
Bill Guerin was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and grew up in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He went to Wilbraham & Monson Academy. Instead of playing high school hockey, he played junior hockey for the Springfield Olympics. Bill's family background includes both Nicaraguan and Irish heritage.
Bill Guerin and his wife, Kara, have four children. They live in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Before that, they lived in Moorestown, New Jersey, when he played for the Devils.
Awards and Achievements
- NCAA (Hockey East) Champion in 1990
- Member of four Stanley Cup-winning teams:
- New Jersey Devils (1995) as a player
- Pittsburgh Penguins (2009) as a player
- Pittsburgh Penguins (2016 and 2017) as Assistant General Manager
- Selected for four NHL All-Star Games: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007
- Named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 2001 NHL All-Star Game
- NHL Second Team All-Star: 2002
- Led the NHL in Game-Winning Goals (10): 2004
- Inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013
Images for kids
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Guerin in 2015
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Guerin during his time as Islanders captain
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Guerin fights Jim Slater, April 2010
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Guerin is honored as the Penguins nominee for the Masterton Trophy during a pregame ceremony in April 2010
