Mario Gosselin (ice hockey)
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Mario Gosselin (born June 15, 1963 in Thetford Mines, Quebec) is a Canadian hockey goaltender who played 12 years in the NHL for the Quebec Nordiques, the Los Angeles Kings and the Hartford Whalers.
[edit] Biography
Gosselin played his junior hockey for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL from 1980–1981 to 1982–1983. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques with 55th pick (third round) of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.
He was then recruited by the Canadian National Team, for which he played in 1983–1984 and 1984–1985. He helped Team Canada to finish fourth at the 1984 Winter Olympics and was the first Thetford Mines native to take part in the Olympic Games.
Back from the Olympics, he played three games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1984–1985 and stayed there until the 1988–89 NHL season, with very briefs stints with the Fredericton Express and the Halifax Citadels of the American Hockey League.
After a couple of seasons, the Nordiques didn't renew his contract on June 6th, 1989 and he signed with the Los Angeles Kings, for one season. In 1990–1991, he signed with the Hartford Whalers and played for their minor league affiliates the Phoenix Roadrunners and the Springfield Indians the next three seasons, being recalled by the Whalers for 16 games in 1992–1993. The following season, he played 2 games in Springfield and 7 in Hartford before suffering a knee injury that ended his season and career.
He then worked as a radio analyst for the Roadrunners games and hockey coordinator at the YMCA before moving back to the province of Quebec in 1997. He now lives in Laprairie with his wife and two sons, Francis and Yannick, and gives hockey clinics for the Énergie Hockey School.
[edit] Trivia
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- The City of Thetford Mines renamed its arena the Centre Mario Gosselin after Mario became the first Thetford Mines Olympian.
- His nickname was Goose.
- At 5 ft 8 and 160 lbs, he had a very small frame, even for a goalie.
- He got a shutout in his first game in the NHL
- He had three knee operations during his playing days. Knee problems ultimately derailed his career.
- Along with Daniel Poudrier and Stephane Thivierge, who both later played for the Thetford-Mines Prolab, Mario was one of the three Thetford Mines natives at the Quebec Nordiques training camp in 1984. He, however, was the only one who turned pro.
