Josh Gorges facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Josh Gorges |
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Gorges with the Buffalo Sabres in 2017
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| Born | August 14, 1984 Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | San Jose Sharks Montreal Canadiens Buffalo Sabres |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2005–2018 | ||
Joshua Daniel Gorges, born on August 14, 1984, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a defenceman, which is a player who helps protect the team's goal. His family has German roots, as his grandparents moved to Canada from Germany. Josh Gorges played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for three different teams: the San Jose Sharks, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Buffalo Sabres.
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Josh Gorges' Early Hockey Journey
As a young player, Josh Gorges participated in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He played with a minor ice hockey team from his hometown of Kelowna, Canada.
Playing for the Kelowna Rockets
Gorges played major junior hockey for the Kelowna Rockets. This team is from his hometown and plays in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He played for the Rockets from 2000 to 2004.
Even though he was not chosen in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, he later signed with the San Jose Sharks. This happened as a free agent, meaning he was not drafted but signed directly with a team.
Captain of Team WHL and Team Canada
In 2003, Josh Gorges was named captain of Team WHL for the Canada–Russia Challenge. He also represented Team Canada at the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. There, his team won a silver medal.
In 2004, Gorges was the captain when the Kelowna Rockets won the Memorial Cup. This is a very important championship in junior hockey.
Starting His Professional Career
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Gorges played for the Cleveland Barons. This team was the Sharks' affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He made his debut for the San Jose Sharks during the 2005–06 season. He played in 49 games that year.
Josh Gorges' Time with the Montreal Canadiens
On February 25, 2007, Gorges was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens also received a first-round draft pick in 2007. In return, the Sharks received player Craig Rivet and a fifth-round pick in 2008.
On July 9, 2008, the Canadiens signed Gorges to a new three-year contract. This contract was worth $3.3 million.
A Tough Moment on the Ice
On February 10, 2010, during a game against the Washington Capitals, Gorges was hit by a hard shot. The puck hit him on the left side of his head. He stayed on the ice for a few minutes and was bleeding. Team doctors helped him off the ice.
The Canadiens won that game 6–5 in overtime, ending the Capitals' 14-game winning streak. The next day, Gorges was back at practice. He famously said, "Unless something happens in the next 24 hours, I’ll be in the lineup against the Flyers."
Praised for His Leadership
Josh Gorges was highly praised for how he played in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hockey commentator Don Cherry even said that Gorges should be the captain of the Canadiens. Cherry called him "a captain's captain" and "exceptional."
On July 22, 2011, the Canadiens signed Gorges to another one-year contract. This contract was worth $2.5 million. On January 1, 2012, Gorges signed a longer six-year contract extension. This deal was worth $23.4 million.
Moving to the Buffalo Sabres
On July 1, 2014, Gorges was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. In exchange, the Canadiens received a second-round draft pick in 2016 from the Minnesota Wild. Gorges had a "no-trade clause" in his contract. This meant he could refuse a trade to certain teams. He refused to be traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are a big rival of the Canadiens.
After the 2017–18 season, Gorges' contract with the Sabres ended. He remained a free agent and did not sign with another team. On January 14, 2019, Josh Gorges announced his retirement from his 13-season NHL career.
Life After Hockey
After retiring from playing, Josh Gorges became the Director of Player Development for the West Kelowna Warriors. He has also helped organize a charity baseball game in Kelowna. This game helps raise money for mental health awareness and includes other former NHL players.
Career Statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2000–01 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 57 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2001–02 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 72 | 7 | 34 | 41 | 74 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 2002–03 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 54 | 11 | 48 | 59 | 76 | 19 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 16 | ||
| 2003–04 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 62 | 11 | 31 | 42 | 38 | 17 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 20 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 49 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2005–06 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 18 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 47 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 32 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 2009–10 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 39 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | ||
| 2010–11 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 36 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 48 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 66 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2014–15 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 46 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 77 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 66 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 34 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 783 | 17 | 107 | 124 | 404 | 68 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 35 | ||||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| World Junior Championships | ||
| Silver | 2004 Finland | |
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Canada | WJC |  |
6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||||
Awards and Achievements
- 2002–03: WHL – West Second All-Star Team
- 2004: Memorial Cup – George Parsons Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player)
- 2003–04: WHL – West First All-Star Team
- 2004: Junior World Championships – Silver medal
- 2004–05: Cleveland Barons Rookie of the Year
- 2004–05: Cleveland Barons Rubbermaid "Player of the Year" (shared with Doug Murray)
- 2011–12: Montreal Canadiens Jacques-Beauchamp-Molson individual team award (Unsung Hero)
