Joe Gambardella Bio
Joseph Gabriel Gambardella, born on December 1, 1993, is an American former professional ice hockey center. He played college ice hockey at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell, where he majored in business. After going undrafted into the National Hockey League, Gambardella signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2017 and spent several years developing within their system before moving to the New Jersey Devils organization. He announced his retirement from professional hockey in October 2025.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Gabriel Gambardella was born on December 1, 1993, in Staten Island, New York. He grew up in the New York City borough and attended Monsignor Farrell High School, a Catholic school known for its strong athletic programs. During the 2009–10 season at Monsignor Farrell, Gambardella was selected as an Advance All-Star, an early signal of his talent on the ice.
He chose to forgo his senior year of high school hockey to pursue a junior path. Gambardella joined the New Jersey Rockets of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League, where he played under coach Bob Thornton. Thornton also worked for the United States Hockey League, and on his recommendation, Gambardella tried out for the Des Moines Buccaneers midway through the 2011–12 season and earned a roster spot.
Path to Hockey
In his second season with the Des Moines Buccaneers, Gambardella was named an alternate captain and announced his commitment to the University of Massachusetts–Lowell in December 2012. During that same season, he was hit in the face with a puck, suffering a broken left cheek, sinus, and orbital bones along with a cut requiring stitches. He finished the game but missed five weeks for surgery, returning to post 36 points in 48 games.
Enrolled as a business major at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell, Gambardella played in 41 games during his freshman year. As a sophomore, he set a new career-high 30 points in 38 games and tied for first nationally with three shorthanded goals. On September 30, 2016, he was named an alternate captain for the River Hawks before his junior year, and in his senior season he became the first UMass–Lowell player to receive the Walter Brown Award as the top American-born college player in New England.
Joe Gambardella Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
On March 28, 2017, Gambardella signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Shortly after, on April 3, 2017, the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, signed him to an amateur try-out agreement. He made his professional debut with the Condors on April 5, 2017, against the Texas Stars, scoring a goal and an assist in a 4–3 loss. He finished that brief stint with three points in six games.
Assigned to the Bakersfield Condors to begin the 2017–18 season after being cut from the Oilers’ training camp, Gambardella played the entire year in the AHL, recording 19 points in 50 games. The experience gave him a full professional season to adjust to the pace and physicality of pro hockey.
Edmonton Oilers Breakthrough (2018–2021)
Gambardella reported to the Oilers’ training camp the following preseason and was again reassigned to the Condors for the 2018–19 AHL campaign. After posting 21 points in 28 games, he earned his first NHL recall on December 30, 2018. He made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers on December 31, 2018, in a 4–3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, and went on to appear in 15 games that season.
On May 29, 2019, the Oilers rewarded Gambardella with a two-year contract extension, and he continued to split time between the NHL and AHL levels. Following his fifth season within the Edmonton organization, he became a free agent and signed a two-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 29, 2021, bringing him closer to his East Coast roots.
New Jersey Devils and Utica Comets Era (2021–2025)
The New Jersey Devils assigned Gambardella to their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, where he settled into a leadership role. On May 19, 2023, he signed a two-year contract directly with the Comets, cementing his place as a veteran presence in the lineup. He continued to contribute as a two-way center through the 2024–25 campaign.
In October 2025, Gambardella announced his retirement from professional hockey, closing a book that began in Staten Island and spanned multiple cities and leagues.
Joe Gambardella Career Wins
While Gambardella’s professional career was not defined by major individual trophies, he built a reputation as a reliable two-way center across the AHL. His most memorable early result came in his professional debut on April 5, 2017, when he recorded a goal and an assist for the Bakersfield Condors against the Texas Stars. He posted 19 points in 50 games during his first full AHL season and added 21 points in 28 games before his first NHL call-up.
AHL and NHL Highlights
Gambardella’s AHL production with the Bakersfield Condors and Utica Comets established him as a steady contributor at the second-tier level. His NHL breakthrough came on December 31, 2018, when he debuted with the Edmonton Oilers. Although his NHL ice time was limited, his work in the minors kept him in professional hockey for nearly a decade.
Joe Gambardella Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Gambardella’s younger brother, Christopher Gambardella, also played junior hockey in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and the United States Hockey League. The shared pathway through junior circuits helped shape both brothers’ careers.
Personal Life and Business
While playing college hockey, Gambardella began training young hockey players on the side when parents asked him to work with their kids. That venture grew into a business called Stride to Greatness, based in Somerset, New Jersey, where the local twin-arena was later renamed the Joe Gambardella Training Centre in his honor.
2025 Season Performance and Retirement
Gambardella’s 2024–25 season was spent with the Utica Comets under the contract he signed in May 2023. As a veteran center, he served as a steady two-way presence for the club while his playing future came into focus.
In October 2025, Gambardella announced his retirement from professional hockey, ending an eight-year professional career that began with the Edmonton Oilers organization in 2017. He finished his career with the New Jersey Devils and Utica Comets, leaving behind a legacy highlighted by his NHL debut in 2018 and his work building youth hockey through Stride to Greatness.