Tom Chorske

Thomas Patrick Chorske
Born	(1966-09-18) September 18, 1966 United States
Occupation(s)	Ice hockey forward, hockey analyst, general manager
Years active	1989–2002 (player)
Known for	NHL player, Stanley Cup winner (1994–95)

Thomas Patrick Chorske (born September 18, 1966) is a retired American professional ice hockey forward who competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) for eleven seasons. In September 2006, he took on the role of color commentator for New Jersey Devils radio broadcasts but stepped down after one season. Subsequently, he returned to Minnesota where he pursued business ventures and served as a hockey analyst for Fox Sports North, providing coverage of the NHL's Minnesota Wild and NCAA hockey games featuring the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

In 2020, Chorske was named general manager of the St. Cloud Blizzard, a team in the North American Hockey League.

Playing career

Following an exceptional tenure at Minneapolis Southwest High School, Chorske earned the distinction of being the first-ever recipient of the Mr. Hockey award in 1985. That same year, he was drafted 16th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.

Chorske spent two seasons competing in NCAA hockey at the University of Minnesota, then dedicated a year to the 1987–88 US National Team as they prepared for the 1988 Winter Olympics. He narrowly missed final selection for the Olympic roster and returned to Minnesota for the 1988–89 season, where he played a pivotal role in his team's achievements.

During the 1989–90 season, Chorske appeared in 14 games with Montreal, registering three goals and one assist. After another year with the Canadiens, he transitioned to the New Jersey Devils, participating in 76 games during the 1991–92 season and tallying 19 goals alongside 36 points. His peak offensive performance occurred in 1993–94 when he scored 21 goals and accumulated 41 points. The following season, Chorske was instrumental in securing the Devils' inaugural Stanley Cup championship, as they swept the Detroit Red Wings in four games.

Chorske spent two seasons with the Ottawa Senators, contributing to their first modern-era playoff berth in 1997. He then signed with the New York Islanders, where he notched 35 points, including four short-handed goals. In the midst of the 1998–99 campaign, he was traded to the Washington Capitals, but abdominal surgery limited him to just 17 appearances before he was dealt to the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline. The 1999–2000 season saw Chorske suit up for 33 games with his final NHL club, the Pittsburgh Penguins. He wrapped up his professional playing career with a stint at the Houston Aeros of the now-defunct International Hockey League, where he scored 27 goals and recorded 52 points across 78 games.

Over his NHL career, Chorske played in 596 contests, amassing totals of 115 goals and 122 assists for a combined 237 points. Altogether, his professional career spanned 733 games before retirement, and he earned two bronze medals representing Team USA at World Championships.

Personal life

In addition to hockey, Chorske served as quarterback for Minneapolis Southwest High School's football team during the 1984–85 seasons, achieving first-team all-conference recognition and securing Minnesota’s first Mr. Hockey award as top senior high school hockey player in 1985.

He represented the United States at the 1985 U.S. National Sports Festival and earned a bronze medal at the 1986 World Junior Championships—the first medal ever won by a U.S. team at that tournament—and also competed in that year’s U.S. National Sports Festival.

While at the University of Minnesota, Chorske shared the WCHA scoring title with a total of 49 points and was selected to the All-WCHA First Team for the 1988–89 season before departing after his junior year to join Montreal Canadiens. He also participated in the NHL Friendship Tour to the Soviet Union in 1990.

During the NHL lockout of 1994–95, Chorske played professionally in Italy.

Following his retirement from professional hockey in 2002, he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota. From 2010 until 2020, he worked as an analyst for Fox Sports North covering both NHL action involving Minnesota Wild and University of Minnesota hockey games. He is also a frequent guest on Twin Cities sports radio programs and participates regularly in broadcasts covering Minnesota State High School hockey tournaments.

Awards and honors

Award	Year
All-WCHA First Team	1988–89
Stanley Cup winner	1994–95

International

Year	Team	Tournament		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1986	United States	WJC		7	1	0	1	2
1989	United States	WC		9	2	1	3	6
1996	United States	WC		8	1	2	3	16
1998	United States	WC		6	1	1	2	0
1999	United States	WC		6	1	1	2	4
Senior career totals				29	5	5	10	26