After a 14 year professional career, Colorado native, John Grahame has retired from the National Hockey League.  John was born and raised in Denver, Colorado where he played his entire minor hockey career.

John and his family have very strong hockey ties and roots here in Colorado.  John grew up playing hockey in Denver and after graduating from Overland high school, was recruited in 1993 by the USHL/Sioux City Musketeers.  John received a scholarship from Lake Superior State University in the CCHA.  John was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the summer of 1994, and after three years of college hockey, he turned professional in 1997.  In his second year pro, John won the Calder Cup with the Providence Bruins.  John, as a member of the Boston Bruins, played in the first hockey game ever at Pepsi Center on October 13, 1999 vs. the Colorado Avalanche.  That was a real highlight for John who had grown up playing his minor hockey in Denver.  After being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, John was fortunate enough to win the Stanley Cup in 2004.  John was also honored in 2006 by being named to the US Olympic Team, which competed in Torino, Italy.  Throughout John’s career, he always wore a Colorado flag on his mask as a constant reminder of home.

John’s dad, Ron, played college hockey at the University of Denver, followed by an eight year career as a goalie in the NHL.  During his NHL career, Ron won two Avco Cups with Gordie Howe in the WHA.  Ron later coached John and his brother, Jason, throughout their minor hockey days in Denver.  Ron was also an assistant coach at DU in the 1980‘s and is currently the Assistant Vice Chancellor/Senior Associate Athletics Director at DU. Brother Jason went on to play at the University of Denver and is currently coaching up north with another AAA program.  John’s mother, Charlotte, has worked with the Colorado Avalanche over the past 16 years and is currently the VP of Hockey Administration.  John and Charlotte are the only mother/son combination to have their names etched on the Stanley Cup!

John is excited to return to Colorado and pass his career experience to the next generation here at home where he grew up learning to play hockey.  The Colorado Thunderbirds are very pleased to announce that John is joining our program as the Thunderbird Goalie Coach.