Marcel Goc facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcel Goc
Goc with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014
Born	(1983-08-24) 24 August 1983 (age 41) Calw, West Germany
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	SERC Wild Wings Adler Mannheim San Jose Sharks Nashville Predators Florida Panthers Pittsburgh Penguins St. Louis Blues
National team	Germany
NHL Draft	20th overall, 2001 San Jose Sharks
Playing career	1999–2020

Marcel Goc (pronounced "gotch"; born August 24, 1983) is a German former professional ice hockey player. He was a talented center known for his strong defensive skills.

Marcel comes from a family of hockey players. His father, Josef, played hockey in his home country of Czechoslovakia. Marcel's older brother, Sascha, also played for Team Germany. His younger brother, Nikolai, played for Adler Mannheim and Team Germany too.

Marcel Goc played in nearly 700 games in the NHL, which is the top hockey league in North America. He also played almost 400 games in the DEL, Germany's main hockey league. He proudly represented the German national team 112 times. One of his biggest achievements was winning a silver medal at the 2018 Olympic Games.

Playing career

Early Years and Draft

When Marcel was young, he played in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1996 and 1997. This tournament brings together the best young hockey players from around the world.

In 2001, Marcel was chosen by the San Jose Sharks in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 20th player picked overall, which is a big deal! Even after being drafted, he stayed in Germany to play until 2003.

Starting in the NHL

Marcel spent the 2003–04 season with the Cleveland Barons. This team was a minor league team connected to the Sharks. He joined the Sharks during the 2004 playoffs.

His first NHL game was Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the St. Louis Blues. In that game, Marcel helped set up the winning goal that clinched the series for the Sharks! In his very next game, Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Colorado Avalanche, he scored the winning goal himself! What an amazing start to his NHL career.

Time with Different NHL Teams

On August 20, 2009, Marcel signed with the Nashville Predators. He had a great first half of the season with them. Because he played so well, he earned a new contract extension.

Then, on July 1, 2011, Marcel signed a three-year contract with the Florida Panthers. He scored his first goal for the Panthers on October 11, 2011, against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On March 5, 2014, Marcel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He later signed another contract with them. He scored his first goal as a Penguin on October 22, 2014. After playing 43 games for the Penguins, he was traded again on January 27, 2015, this time to the St. Louis Blues.

Goc warming up before a game during his time with the Nashville Predators

Return to Germany and Retirement

On September 1, 2015, Marcel decided to end his NHL career. He returned to Germany and signed a five-year contract with Adler Mannheim, a top team in the DEL. In January 2017, he had a serious knee injury that required surgery.

Marcel Goc announced he was retiring as a player in March 2020. However, he didn't leave the sport completely! He joined the coaching staff at Adler Mannheim, helping young players improve their skills.

International play

Marcel Goc proudly played for Team Germany in many important tournaments. He played in the World Junior Championships when he was just 16 years old. He also played in eight World Championships.

He represented Germany in the 2006, 2010, and 2018 Winter Olympics. In 2018, he was the team captain and led Germany to an incredible silver medal! This was a huge achievement for German hockey. The NHL did not allow its players to go to the 2018 Olympics, but Marcel could play because he was playing professionally in Germany at the time. His best finish at a World Championship was fourth place in 2010.

Marcel was known for his strong defensive skills and his ability to win faceoffs (when two players try to gain control of the puck at the start of play). He was a key player for Team Germany for 18 years. In April 2018, he announced he was retiring from international play after playing 112 games for his country.

Awards and honours