Ben Guité
Benjamin Pierre Guité | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 17, 1978 Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Ice hockey player, coach |
| Years active | 2000–2013 (player), 2013–present (coach) |
| Known for | NHL forward for Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators; head coach of Maine Mariners and Bowdoin College men's ice hockey team |
Benjamin Pierre Guité (born July 17, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward and current coach. Over the course of 13 seasons, Guité competed mainly in the National Hockey League (NHL), representing the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Nashville Predators. He is the son of Pierre Guité, who played in the World Hockey Association.
After retiring from playing, Guité moved into coaching roles. In 2021, he was appointed head coach of the Maine Mariners in the ECHL. As of July 2022, he has been serving as the head coach for Bowdoin College's men's ice hockey program.
Playing career
Selected 172nd overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, Guité initially played junior hockey with the Capital District Selects before joining the University of Maine's team competing in Hockey East. Undrafted after college, he launched his professional career in 2000 with the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks of the ECHL and later signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders in 2001.
In March 2002, while playing for the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Guité was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He returned to Bridgeport on a free agent contract in 2003.
Guité inked a deal with the Boston Bruins in August 2005 and made his NHL debut in January 2006; however, most of that season was spent with their AHL affiliate, Providence Bruins. In July 2006, he signed with the Colorado Avalanche where he developed a reputation as a defensive-minded forward and secured two contract extensions. During the 2007–08 NHL season, Guité appeared in 79 games, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists.
In July 2009, Guité agreed to a one-year two-way contract with the Nashville Predators. He made his season debut on opening night of 2009–10 but only played four NHL games that year while primarily competing for their AHL affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals.
Following that season, he signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in August 2010 and then accepted a one-year two-way contract with the San Jose Sharks in July 2011. His time with the Worcester Sharks during the 2011–12 AHL season was limited to just 26 games due to concussion issues.
Amidst the 2012 NHL lockout disrupting opportunities in North America, Guité signed his first European contract with HC Pustertal-Val Pusteria Wolves of Italy’s Serie A league in October 2012.
Coaching career
Guité began his coaching journey on June 10, 2013, as an assistant coach at the University of Maine under newly appointed head coach Red Gendron. He earned a promotion to associate head coach on October 14, 2014. Following Gendron’s passing, Guité served as interim head coach from April 14 to May 12, 2021 until Ben Barr was hired. Ahead of the 2021–22 ECHL season, he was named head coach of the Maine Mariners. In July 2022, he assumed leadership as head coach of Bowdoin College’s men's hockey team.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1996–97 | Maine | HE | 34 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Maine | HE | 32 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Maine | HE | 40 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Maine | HE | 40 | 22 | 14 | 36 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Tallahassee Tiger Sharks | ECHL | 68 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 68 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 80 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 79 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 73 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 77 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 69 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 34 | ||
| 2005–06 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 73 | 22 | 31 | 53 | 87 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | ||
| 2005–06 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 2006–07 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 36 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 39 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 79 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 47 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 2008–09 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 50 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 64 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 56 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 72 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 26 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 Serie A (ice hockey) | Val Pusteria Wolves | ITL | 27 | 5 | 21 | 26 | 50 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | ||
| NHL totals | 175 | 19 | 26 | 45 | 97 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | ||||