C. J. Young

Carl Joshua Young
Born	(1968-01-01) January 1, 1968 Waban, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Professional ice hockey player (former)
Years active	1986–1993
Known for	Ice hockey right winger, 1992 Winter Olympics, Harvard Crimson national championship 1989

Carl Joshua Young (born January 1, 1968) is a former American professional ice hockey right winger who appeared in 44 National Hockey League (NHL) games during the 1992–93 season and represented the United States at the 1992 Winter Olympics. A notable collegiate athlete, Young played four seasons with the Harvard Crimson, playing a key role in their 1989 national championship victory. He was chosen fifth overall in the 1989 NHL Supplemental Draft by the New Jersey Devils but never suited up for them. Young signed with the Calgary Flames in 1990, making his NHL debut two years later before being traded mid-season to the Boston Bruins. Prior to the 1993–94 campaign, he signed with the Florida Panthers but left professional hockey following a contract dispute with the team.

Early life

Hailing from Waban, Massachusetts, Young participated in youth hockey with the Boston Bruins minor team at the 1981 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He attended Belmont Hill School, where he excelled in varsity hockey, lacrosse, and soccer. Young majored in history while studying at Harvard University.

During his time at Harvard, Young competed for four seasons (1986–1990) with the Crimson men's ice hockey team. He tallied 29 points in each of his freshman and sophomore years, and as a sophomore was selected for the U.S. junior national team competing at the 1988 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he contributed two goals and one assist over seven games.

In the 1988–89 season, Young formed part of the "line of fire" alongside Lane MacDonald and Allen Bourbeau, leading Harvard’s offense. He notched 33 goals across all competitions and earned a place on the ECAC second all-star team. On December 12, 1988, he set an NCAA record by scoring three shorthanded goals within 49 seconds for the fastest hat trick. That season culminated with Harvard capturing its first national team title by defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers 4–3 in overtime to win the Frozen Four championship.

Drafted fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1989 NHL Supplemental Draft, Young returned to Harvard for his senior year as team captain. He recorded 49 points in 28 games and was named to the ECAC first all-star team. Additionally, he received Ivy League Player of the Year honors and was selected for his third All-Ivy team. Upon graduation, Young ranked among Harvard’s all-time leaders with 84 goals and 162 points and was inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2005.

Professional

After failing to reach a contract agreement with New Jersey, Young signed as a free agent with the Calgary Flames in 1990. The Flames assigned him to their IHL affiliate, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, where he scored 31 goals and amassed 67 points over 80 games during the 1990–91 season. His performance earned him the Ken McKenzie Trophy as the IHL’s top American rookie.

Young spent much of the following season (1991–92) with the U.S. National Team on a barnstorming tour leading up to the 1992 Winter Olympics, compiling 17 goals and 17 assists in 49 games. At the Olympic tournament, he contributed one goal and three assists across eight games as Team USA finished fourth. He returned briefly to Salt Lake for nine games late that season, adding four points.

Unable to finalize a contract before training camp for the 1992–93 NHL season, Young missed part of camp and early season action before signing a one-year deal. He made his NHL debut on November 21, 1992, stepping in for injured forward Joe Nieuwendyk. On December 31, he scored his first two NHL goals during a victory against the Montreal Canadiens. Calgary head coach Dave King commended Young’s skating ability and defensive play; however, seeking more veteran presence, Calgary traded him to the Boston Bruins on February 1, 1993, in exchange for Brent Ashton. In his fifth game with Boston, Young again tallied two goals versus Montreal. He completed the season splitting time between Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, and NHL appearances—playing a total of 43 NHL games between Calgary and Boston while recording seven goals and fourteen points.

Entering free agency before the 1993–94 NHL season, Young opted to sign with expansion franchise Florida Panthers, turning down a more lucrative offer from Boston in pursuit of increased playing opportunities. Contract discussions became complicated over Florida’s refusal to guarantee release for Olympic participation if demoted to minors. Although attending Florida’s training camp unsigned, Young eventually agreed to a two-year contract without assurances regarding Olympic involvement on September 27, 1993. Shortly thereafter, Florida assigned him to their IHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones. Dissatisfied with how Florida handled his situation, Young chose not to report and instead returned home to Boston, effectively ending his professional playing career.

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1984–85	Belmont Hill School	HS-Prep		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Belmont Hill School	HS-Prep		21	19	19	38	4		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Harvard Crimson	ECAC		34	17	12	29	30		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Harvard Crimson	ECAC		28	13	16	29	40		—	—	—	—	—
Harvard Crimson	ECAC	36		20	31	51	36	—		—	—	—	—
1989–90	Harvard Crimson	ECAC		28	21	28	49	32		—	—	—	—	—
Salt Lake Golden Eagles	IHL	80		31	36	67	43	4		1	2	3	2
"United States men's national ice hockey team"| Intl	17|"17"|34|"38"| — | — | — | — | — |
IHL|"9"|2|"2"|4|"1"|5|"0"|1|"1"|4|
"1992–93 NHL season"|Calgary Flames|"NHL"|"28"|3|"2"|5|"20"|— |— |— |— |— |
"Boston Bruins"|"NHL"|"15"|4|"5"|9|"12"|— |— |— |— |— |
"1992–93 AHL season"|"Providence Bruins"|"American Hockey League"|"7"|4|"3"|7|"26"|6|"1"|0|"1"|16|
NHL totals				43	7	7	14	32		—	—	—	—	—

Awards and honors

Career Achievements

Award ! Year

All-ECAC Hockey Second Team

1988–89

American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) East Second-Team All-American

1988–89

All-ECAC Hockey First Team

1989–90

AHCA East Second-Team All-American

1989–90

Ken McKenzie Trophy IHL – Top US-born Rookie

1990–91