Bill Guerin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Guerin was drafted fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1989 and played with them from 1991 to 1998, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 1998, then to the Boston Bruins in 2001. After a 41-goal season, he signed with the Dallas Stars but was bought out in 2006. He revived his career with the St. Louis Blues, was traded to the San Jose Sharks in 2007, and later named captain of the New York Islanders. On March 4, 2009, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins and won the Stanley Cup on June 12, 2009. He retired as a Penguin on December 6, 2010.

In Their Own Story

The turning point of Guerin's later playing career came in early 2009. Traded to Pittsburgh on March 4 for a conditional pick, he arrived just in time for the playoffs. On June 12, 2009, he helped defeat the Detroit Red Wings 2–1 in Game Seven at Joe Louis Arena to capture his second Stanley Cup. Following the victory and the team's parade on June 15, where the crowd urged his return, Guerin signed a one-year extension at a reduced salary for the 2009–10 season. During this time, he achieved a unique milestone: becoming the first player to record a 20-goal season with seven different teams. Despite vocal support from teammates and fans, General Manager Ray Shero opted not to offer him a contract for the following year. After a brief tryout with the Philadelphia Flyers in September 2010 that ended with his release on October 4, Guerin officially announced his retirement on December 6, 2010, while still wearing a Penguins jersey.

Reader's Guide

Guerin became the fourth general manager of the Minnesota Wild on August 21, 2019. He previously served as assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager of their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was named general manager of Team USA for the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off and 2026 Winter Olympics.

Did You Know?

• Guerin was the first American-born player of Hispanic descent to play in the NHL.
• He is one of several players to have a 20-goal season with five or more different teams.
• His 14 years between Stanley Cups as a player is a notable achievement, but not the third-longest wait in NHL history.
• He was named MVP of the 2001 NHL All-Star Game.

A Historic Playing Career

William Robert Guerin played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League, establishing himself as one of the league's most durable scorers. Drafted fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1989, he won his first Stanley Cup in 1995. His path included trades to Edmonton (1998), Boston (November 2001), Dallas (2002), St. Louis (July 3, 2006), San Jose (February 27, 2007), and New York (July 5, 2007). A standout achievement occurred in the 2001–02 season when he scored 41 goals with Boston. He later set a record as the first player to post a 20-goal season with seven different franchises. His career concluded with his second Stanley Cup win on June 12, 2009, with Pittsburgh. At retirement in December 2010, he ranked seventh all-time among American-born players with 429 goals and had played 1,000 games.

International Representation and Heritage

Guerin was a pillar of US Hockey internationally, representing his country at the Winter Olympics in 1998, 2002, and 2006. He also competed in two World Cup of Hockey tournaments. His legacy includes being named general manager for Team USA for both the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. Culturally, he holds a unique place in history as the first player of Hispanic descent to play in the NHL, a milestone stemming from his Nicaraguan heritage through his mother. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and raised in Wilbraham, Guerin attended Wilbraham & Monson Academy before playing junior hockey for the Springfield Olympics.

Transition to Executive Leadership

Guerin moved directly into management after retiring, hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins as a player development coach on June 6, 2011. In 2014, he became assistant general manager, later overseeing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL team. His biggest move came on August 21, 2019, when he was appointed General Manager of the Minnesota Wild. His strategic acumen was recognized in March 2022 when TSN named him GM of the Day for his trade deadline activity.

Navigating Professional Controversies

In November 2020, a lawsuit alleged Guerin covered up an assault on Jarrod Skalde's wife by coach Clark Donatelli while Guerin was GM of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Guerin denied this, stating he reported it to Pittsburgh management immediately. An NHL internal investigation confirmed his prompt reporting and cleared him; the suit settled in November 2021. A separate SafeSport investigation had no findings released by April 2022. In December 2023, the Wild investigated a verbal abuse complaint from an employee; Guerin kept his job with no sanctions announced.