Few professional hockey players can say they’ve proudly served their country in the midst of their athletic careers, but Bridgeport Islanders goaltender Parker Gahagen is among the rare and distinguished group.
Gahagen served in active duty in the United States Army form Feb. 2018 to Sept. 2019, stationed in Colorado Springs. He served as a Brigade Strength Manager, a role that supported the personnel needs for the organization.
“It was a great opportunity,” Gahagen said. “I got to meet a lot of awesome people and serving gives you an appreciation for everyday life. What I took out of it the most was the relationships I got out of it.”
Gahagen graduated from the United States Military Academy (commonly known as West Point) in 2017, playing all four years at the NCAA level while completing his training. The World Class Athlete Program allowed him to delay his service if he trained for the Olympics, giving him the opportunity to play professionally right out of college.
After graduating, he signed with the San Jose Sharks and played five games for their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. He had a short runway to compete for the Olympics, and after he didn’t make the cut for Team USA in Feb. 2018, he was obligated to serve.
“It was a tough change because you’re going from playing professionally to getting into a job with the Army,” Gahagen said. “The unit I was joining was deploying at the time, so I was helping them through the deployment process. It was a pretty hectic time. It was definitely a lot to take in at first, not knowing if I was going to play again.”