Parker Gahagen is already in his *tenth* professional hockey season, lacing up the skates for the Worcester Railers, but here’s the kicker: this man with 122 career pro wins almost played hardball in college. Yeah, you read that right. He was his high school baseball team’s MVP way back in 2011 and seriously considered playing at Florida Southern, a D2 powerhouse with nine national championships and 13 Major Leaguers produced. Talk about a fork in the road, right?
The Diamond That Almost Was, and a Corgi Named Yogi
While Gahagen’s career choice clearly leaned into the cold rink instead of the hot diamond, the baseball connection is still strong. He follows a certain team that rocks pinstripes, thanks to his dad being a Yankees fan. And get this, his corgi is named Yogi Berra, and she’s got 484 followers on Instagram. Yogi even competed in the annual Buffalo Bills Corgi Cup championship on September 27 at halftime of a Bills/Rams game, going up against pups like Fenway Frank and Sauerkraut Kenobi! Gahagen said she didn’t win because she got distracted, but she definitely “had the most fun out there.”
Beyond the corgi antics, Gahagen even had some serious World Series predictions this year. He picked the Milwaukee Brewers to win it all, saying they “might deserve it a little bit more” and that he liked their “small ball” approach. He wanted to see that type of team win instead of the usual long ball focus. Well, guess what? The Brewers clinched the Series in five games, hitting just three home runs. The man knows his stuff, on and off the ice!
A Decade on the Ice: From Snow-Ins to the Kelly Cup
It’s been a journey for Gahagen, spanning 13 teams across his 10 professional seasons. He’s been all over the map, playing on the West Coast for the San Jose Barricuda, through the Rockies with the Utah Grizzlies and Colorado Eagles, across the Northeast US for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Reading Royals, and even up in Canada. One of his most unforgettable memories wasn’t even about a win, though he did snag a Kelly Cup with the Florida Everblades in 2022. No, it was during the 2019-20 season with the Newfoundland Growlers. He won 10 of the 15 games he played there and posted a career-low 1.81 goals against average, but what stuck with him was being “snowed in to our apartments for week and half,” with snow “above the door frames” and “all the ships were stuck in the harbor.” That’s a story you tell for years!
Before all that pro hockey, Gahagen was New York State Public High School Athletic Association Hockey Player of the Year in 2011. Then came Army West Point, a real “reality check” as he called it. He served a year of active duty in Colorado Springs, experiencing the demands of basic training, rigorous academics, military life, and playing Division 1 sports all at once. He and his wife now call Denver home during the offseason. From a high school baseball MVP who almost went D2, to a decorated D1 hockey player and military man, to a pro goalie with 122 wins, Parker Gahagen’s career path is anything but ordinary.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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