Joe Gambardella
Joseph Gambardella | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 1, 1993 United States |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey player |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Known for | Ice hockey career in AHL and NHL |
Joseph Gabriel Gambardella (born December 1, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey player currently an unrestricted free agent. His latest team was the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL). Gambardella played collegiate hockey at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell while pursuing a business degree. Despite not being selected in the NHL Draft, he secured an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2017.
Playing career
In the 2009–10 season at Monsignor Farrell High School, Gambardella earned recognition as an Advance All-Star. Opting to skip his senior year, he joined the New Jersey Rockets competing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League, coached by Bob Thornton, who also had ties to the United States Hockey League (USHL). Acting on Thornton's advice, Gambardella tried out and was added to the Des Moines Buccaneers roster midway through the 2011–12 USHL campaign.
During his inaugural full season with the Buccaneers, Gambardella served as an alternate captain and committed to the University of Massachusetts Lowell in December 2012. That year, he suffered a severe facial injury caused by a puck but made a comeback five weeks later following surgery. He concluded the season with 36 points over 48 games.
Collegiate
As a business student at UMass Lowell, Gambardella participated in 41 games during his freshman year. He competed in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, where Massachusetts–Lowell was defeated by Boston College.
In his sophomore season, he achieved a personal best of 30 points across 38 games and recorded a five-game scoring streak during the 2015 Hockey East playoffs. He finished tied for first nationally with three shorthanded goals.
On September 30, 2016, Gambardella was appointed alternate captain for his junior year. He played every one of the 40 games that season, tallying 27 assists (fourth highest in the conference) and setting a new career-high with 37 points. His sportsmanship and embodiment of team spirit earned him both the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award and the Gus Coutu Award.
In his final collegiate season, Gambardella became the first player from UMass Lowell to receive the Walter Brown Award, honoring New England’s top American-born college hockey player. He also repeated as recipient of the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award and was selected for both the Hockey East Second Team All-Star and All-Tournament Team. On March 28, 2017, he inked a two-year entry-level deal with the Edmonton Oilers for the upcoming NHL season. Shortly thereafter, on April 3, he joined their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, under an amateur try-out agreement to complete the 2016–17 season.
Professional
Gambardella’s professional debut came with the Condors on April 5, 2017, facing off against the Texas Stars. Despite a narrow 4–3 defeat, he contributed a goal and an assist. He wrapped up that season appearing in six games and accumulating three points.
On September 21, 2017, after being released from Edmonton’s training camp roster, Gambardella was reassigned to Bakersfield for the 2017–18 AHL season, where he posted 19 points over 50 games. Following attendance at Oilers training camp again the next year, he returned to Bakersfield for the 2018–19 AHL season. On December 30, 2018, he received his first call-up to Edmonton’s NHL squad and made his debut on December 31 in a close 4–3 loss versus the Winnipeg Jets. That season saw him participate in 15 NHL contests.
The Oilers extended Gambardella’s contract on May 29, 2019, signing him for two additional years during which he primarily played with Bakersfield across the 2018–19 and 2020–21 AHL seasons. After five seasons within Edmonton’s organization, he agreed to a two-year two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 29, 2021, subsequently being assigned to their AHL affiliate team, the Utica Comets.
On May 19, 2023, Gambardella committed to another two-year extension with the Comets.
Personal life
During his collegiate hockey career, Gambardella established a youth development enterprise called Stride to Greatness, headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey. In recognition of his contributions, the community's twin-arena facility was renamed the Joe Gambardella Training Centre.
His younger sibling, Christopher, also competed in junior hockey leagues, including the AtJHL and the USHL.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2010–11 | New Jersey Rockets | AtJHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | New Jersey Rockets | AtJHL | 24 | 21 | 7 | 28 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Des Moines Buccaneers | USHL | 31 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Des Moines Buccaneers | USHL | 48 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | University of Massachusetts Lowell | HE | 41 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 8 | |||||||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| College | |
| Len Ceglarski Award | 2016, 2017 |
| Walter Brown Award | 2017 |
| All-Hockey East Second Team | 2017 |
| All Tournament Team | 2017 |