Like many Canadian ice hockey players, defenseman Jason Woolley got his start at St. Michael’s College and, from 1986 through 1988, played on their team, the Buzzers. He then entered Michigan State University and began skating for their squad, and was impressive enough to be drafted by the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals during his freshman year. Nevertheless, he opted to stick with his school for two more years, and then joined the Canadian men’s national ice hockey team on their journey to the 1992 Winter Olympics. At the tournament he played in eight games and took home a silver medal, which represented Canada’s first Olympic podium finish in the sport since 1968. The following season he made his NHL debut, splitting the year between the Capitals and the American Hockey League’s Baltimore Skipjacks. The following season he skated for only ten games with the Capitals, spending the majority of the season with the AHL’s Portland Pirates, prior to signing with the NHL’s Florida Panthers in 1994. Although he spent some time with the International Hockey League’s Detroit Vipers at first, he suited up consistently with the Panthers until 1996, when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins after three games of the 1996-1997 season. This did not last long and, a year later, he was skating with the Buffalo Sabres, an affiliation that lasted until 2002. Until his 2007 retirement he played with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings (2002-2004, 2005-2006), the United Hockey League’s Flint Generals (2004-2005) and Sweden’s IF Malmo Redhawks (2006-2007). He now works as a player agent in Michigan and volunteers as a coach at Michigan State University.
Canada