Alex Goligoski Looks Like A Future GM After 17 Years In the League

On Thursday, September 5, Alex Goligoski announced his retirement after a 17-season NHL career. “The Goose’s” final season for the Minnesota Wild did not reflect the success the 39-year-old had in his career. 

Last year, Goligoski was in and out of the lineup and only played in 34 out of 82 games, missing 15 games with injury. During his career, Goligoski has changed his sweater a few times, faced injuries, been fined, and even been called “overrated.” 

While critics are quick to blast Goligoski for a lack of goals and inconsistent playing time, his assists and positive reviews tell a different story. Goligoski boasts 1,078 NHL games and 475 points (388 assists). It’s worth noting that only 244 NHL players have ever played more than 1078 games in their career. 

Goligoski’s former defensive partner Jared Spurgeon described him as a “fabulous teammate,” and teammates praised him as a powerful backwards skater. Despite being bagskated in his final season, Goligoski has maintained a positive attitude and continued to work hard. 

Nearing the end of his tumultuous season, Goligoski sank the game-winning goal for the Wild against the Carolina Hurricanes in his 1000th game, flashing a huge smile for the cameras. The reaction from his teammates, coaches, and family makes it clear he’s a beloved player and friend. Shane Doan said Goligoski was one of the reasons he re-signed with the Arizona Coyotes, citing that he was a huge fan of the new Coyotes player and that Goligoski “has an unbelievable shot”. The Goose was a great addition to the multiple organizations he was a part of, even when the score sheet did not reflect it.

Goligoski grew up in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where he played for the Grand Rapids High School Thunderhawks in 2002-03 and 2003-04. In 2002-03, he also played for the River City Lancers in the USHL. He played for Grand Rapids and the Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) a year later. The Pittsburgh Penguins chose him as the 61st overall NHL draft pick in 2004, but Goligoski played three years at the University of Minnesota before turning pro. 

After college, the Penguins started him in Scranton, playing for their AHL team in the 2007-08 season. However, they called him up to Pittsburgh for 3 games. Goligoski won a Stanley Cup in his second season with Pittsburgh when they beat the Detroit Red Wings in 2008-09. He signed a 3-year, $5.5 million extension with the Penguins, but they traded him to the Dallas Stars two years later for James Neal and Matt Niskanen.

The Stars kept Goligoski in the lineup for his first two seasons, but a thumb injury caused him to miss 11 games in his first season. However, Dallas occasionally healthy-scratched him in 2012-13), and he also missed time due to a bone fracture. The NHL lockout also shortened that season to 48 regular season games. 

Goligoski’s 2013-2014 season got off to an inauspicious start. He was pointless and minus-10 after his first 9 games of the season. However, he turned his season in Dallas around and ended it with a .64 goals-per-game average. Goligoski played all but one game in the next two seasons, and his teammates named him an alternate captain in the 2015-16 season. But in June, they traded him to the Arizona Coyotes for a fifth-round pick. 

Goligoski was a regular part of Arizona’s lineup, only missing games in the first two years for the birth of his second child. His third year proved more difficult. Goligoski missed several games due to an upper-body injury, a lower-body injury, and an undisclosed illness. Additionally, the season was a career low for Goligoski. He only had 27 points for the Coyotes, the least of any full season. 

He started the 2019-20 season well and was the second-highest on the team with 28 assists. However, the pandemic cut the season short. The Coyotes named him an alternate captain going into the 2020-21 season. 

After five seasons in Arizona, Goligoski became a free agent. He signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Wild, but they eventually extended him for another two years. Goligoski was consistently in the lineup in his first season and ranked 4th overall in NHL defense. However, the league fined him for high-sticking Seattle Kraken player Jordan Eberle in the face. Though it was an accident, he was fined $5,000 as per league rules. 

Even though they extended him, the Wild didn’t give him the same ice time in his later two seasons. He played 46 and 36 games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, respectively.

In addition to his lack of role in the previous two seasons for the Wild, Goligoski’s family life played a big part in his retirement decision. He announced he’d retire months after his wife Amanda gave birth to their third child, Luka, in May. It was a huge moment for Goligoski and his wife Amanda after the pair struggled through fertility issues for several years. 

Goligoski has expressed his desire to focus on raising his kids and spending more time with his family. As a veteran player, Goligoski could have looked for a new team willing to give him more of a prominent role in the upcoming season. However, this would have forced Goligoski to move out of state, and he has been clear on his desire to stay in Minnesota, having written a no-move clause into his contract with the Wild. Ultimately, he chose to hang up the skates. 

Goligoski's next steps include spending time with his family and focusing on his job as a dad. While he hasn’t announced any plans to be in the NHL front office this year, we may see him step up in the future. Goligoski has expressed interest in becoming a GM someday, noting that he likes “breaking down what teams do and why they do it” and thinks he would be good at it.

Wild GM Bill Guerin, Goligoski’s Penguins teammate in 2008-09 and fellow Stanley Cup Champion, said he was happy to get Goligoski into the front office when the time comes. 

While not every NHL GM formerly played in the league, 53.1 percent have played in at least one NHL game. Goligoski's extensive NHL experience across multiple organizations, many league friends and connections, and reputation as a good teammate make him a solid candidate to become a general manager.