As John explains it, his 38-year career in hockey started by being on the right street corner at the right time. At the age of 18 Ken Carson, the trainer of the Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance and hired him as his assistant in 1970. His only asset being the love of the game.
After 3 seasons he returned to school at Sheridan College in Oakville Ontario enrolled in their athletic training program and interned with the Kitchener Rangers. Following that year, he spent the next two working for the Lansing Lancers of the IHL and Erie Blades of the N.A.H.L, made famous in the movie Slap Shot which was written during his time in Erie. John can confirm the film’s scenes with experiences he saw and had that year.
The 1976 season resulted in his return to Pittsburgh as his Mentor Ken Carson became the first trainer in Toronto Bluejays history. John spent the next eleven seasons with the Pens before not having his contract renewed after the 1987-88 season.
During his summers in Pittsburgh, John attended the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a degree in Business Administration.
The next 3 years, he worked as a bracing and casting salesperson with 3M in their Health division.
In 1990 he joined the New York Islanders as their equipment manager for six seasons.
John likes to say, most people work themselves up the ladder, I took another route and worked my way down.
For the next fifteen seasons he plied his trade in the IHL, AHL, ECHL and UHL. His last season was 2011-2012.
During his career, he worked a total of 2860 games with 1556 at the NHL level.
During his NHL time he worked the 1996 ASG in Boston and served on the PHATS executive as secretary-treasurer.
John was one of the co-founders of the PHATS-SPHEM Alumni Association and continues as the Co-Chairman of the group.
He is also the creator of “The Family Tree” which documents the training and equipment staff of every NHL team through the years.

Naoto “Nates” Goto joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as assistant athletic trainer in June 2012. Prior to joining the club, he spent seven seasons with the New York Islanders, including six as the assistant athletic trainer and one as the team’s massage therapist. He arrived in New York after serving as the head athletic trainer for the Niagara University men’s ice hockey team from 1996-2005. During that time, he also worked with the Florida Panthers as an athletic trainer and was the tournament head athletic trainer for the 2003 Men’s NCAA Frozen Four Tournament held at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. His experiences also includes stints at Siena College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Arena Football League’s Albany Firebirds, as well as at the 1992 USA Cup Hockey Tournament and the summer Empire State Games from 1991-1996. A member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Goto received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Nippon Sports Science University in Tokyo, Japan and a master’s degree in physical education while completing the N.A.T.A. Approved Graduate Athletic Training Curriculum at Western Michigan University.

Damien Hess joined the New York Islanders as head athletic trainer for the 2014-15 season. He spent ten years (2004-14) as head athletic trainer of the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). While in Hartford, he oversaw all aspects of medical care for prospects in the New York Rangers organization. Prior to his tenure in Hartford, he was the head athletic trainer for the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies for three years (2001-04), winning an ECHL Kelly Cup title in 2003. While in Atlantic City, he was also head athletic trainer for an independent minor league baseball team from 2000-04. Damien earned a B.S. in Athletic Training from West Chester University in 1998 and a M.Ed. in Athletic Training from the University of Virginia in 1999. He worked as an athletic training intern for the NFL’s New York Giants in the summer of 1997. Following his graduate studies, he served one year as an athletic training fellow at the US Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. While in Lake Placid, he worked with all athletes training at the OTC. He traveled with the US Youth National Volleyball team and US Short Track Speed Skating team to international events. He was also a member of the medical staff for the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games. Damien is originally from York, PA.

Jody Green joined the New York Islanders in 2017-18 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. He spent the previous eight seasons in the Minnesota Wild organization as the Head Athletic Trainer of their AHL affiliate. He spent four of those years in Texas at the helm of the Houston Aeros, before relocating with the club to Des Moines, Iowa in 2013 to continue serving as Head Athletic Trainer of the Iowa Wild. Green began working in hockey in 1997 as a visiting locker room attendant for the Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL. He also spent four year working with the ECHL’s Louisiana Ice Gators, where he served as an equipment manager and athletic training assistant. Green attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and earned a B.S. in Kinesiology-Athletic Training. The Gulfport, MS native later served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of Alabama and also worked as the Interim Head Equipment manager with the Houston Aeros for 20 games during the 2008-09 season.