Marcel Goc facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marcel Goc |
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Goc with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014
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| Born | 24 August 1983 Calw, West Germany |
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| 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 |
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| National team |  Germany |
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| NHL Draft | 20th overall, 2001 San Jose Sharks |
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| Playing career | 1999–2020 | ||
Marcel Goc (born August 24, 1983) is a German former professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre and was known for his strong defensive skills. Marcel Goc had a long and successful career, playing in the NHL in North America and the DEL in Germany. He also proudly represented his home country, Germany, in many international tournaments, including the Winter Olympics.
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About Marcel Goc's Family
Marcel Goc comes from a family of hockey players. His father, Josef, played hockey in his home country, Czechoslovakia. Marcel also has two brothers who played professional hockey. His older brother, Sascha, played for Team Germany, just like Marcel. His younger brother, Nikolai, also played for the team Adler Mannheim and Team Germany.
Marcel Goc's Hockey Journey
Marcel Goc played in 699 games in the NHL, which is the top ice hockey league in the world. He also played 388 games in the DEL, Germany's main hockey league. He played 112 games for the German men's national team. One of his biggest achievements was winning a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics with Team Germany.
Starting in Youth Hockey
When he was younger, Marcel Goc played in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1996 and 1997. He played with a team from Baden-Württemberg, a region in Germany.
Joining the NHL
Marcel Goc was chosen by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 20th player picked overall. Even though he was drafted in 2001, he stayed in Germany to play until 2003.
In the 2003–04 season, he played for the Cleveland Barons. This team was a minor league team connected to the Sharks. He joined the San Jose Sharks during the 2004 playoffs. He set a record for the Cleveland Barons by having an assist in seven games in a row.
Big Moments in Early NHL Games
Marcel Goc made a big impact in his very first NHL game. It was Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the St. Louis Blues. He helped score the winning goal that ended the series by deflecting the puck to his teammate, Mark Smith.
In his second NHL game, Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Colorado Avalanche, he scored the winning goal himself! He deflected a shot past the Avalanche's goalie, David Aebischer, to win that series too.
Playing for Different Teams
After his time with the San Jose Sharks, Marcel Goc signed a contract with the Nashville Predators in 2009. He played very well in his first half-season with them.
In 2011, he signed a three-year contract with the Florida Panthers. He scored his first goal for the Panthers in October 2011 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In March 2014, Goc was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He later signed another contract with them. In October 2014, he scored his first goal as a Penguin. After playing 43 games with the Penguins, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in January 2015.
Returning to Germany and Retirement
In September 2015, Marcel Goc decided to end his NHL career and return to Germany. He signed a five-year contract with Adler Mannheim, who were the champions of the DEL at the time.
In January 2017, he had a serious knee injury (a torn ACL) and needed surgery. Marcel Goc announced that he was retiring as a player in March 2020. However, he stayed with the Adler Mannheim club and joined their coaching staff. He now works as a skills and development coach, helping younger players improve.
Playing for Team Germany
Marcel Goc played for Team Germany in many important tournaments over 18 years. He was known for his strong defense and his ability to win faceoffs (when two players try to gain control of the puck at the start of play).
He played in the Ice Hockey World Championships many times and also in the Winter Olympics in 2006, 2010, and 2018. In 2018, he was the team captain and led Germany to win a silver medal at the Olympics. This was a huge achievement for German ice hockey! The NHL did not allow its players to go to the 2018 Olympics, but Marcel Goc could play because he was playing professionally in Germany at the time.
In April 2018, he announced that he was ending his international career. He had played 112 games for Germany, scoring 17 goals and making 18 assists.
Awards and Honours
Marcel Goc won one major award during his career:
| Award | Year | |
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| DEL | ||
| Champion (Adler Mannheim) | 2019 | |
