Jody Gage

Jody Gage
Born	(1959-11-29) November 29, 1959 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Detroit Red Wings Buffalo Sabres Rochester Americans
NHL draft	45th overall, 1979 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	1979–1996

Joseph William "Jody" Gage (born November 29, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the third round, 45th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

Biography

As a youth, Gage played in the 1972 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Toronto.

Gage played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1976–79 with the St. Catharines Fincups, Hamilton Fincups, and Kitchener Rangers before turning pro in 1979–80, splitting time with the Kalamazoo Wings of the International Hockey League and the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. In his AHL debut on October 11, 1979, Gage scored four goals in an 8-3 win over the Hershey Bears. With his help, Adirondack would win the Calder Cup championship in 1981.

Prior to the 1985–86 season, Gage signed with the Buffalo Sabres as a free agent and was assigned to the AHL's Rochester Americans, where Gage would soon become one of the important figures in the history of the franchise. His Amerks debut was a mirror image of his AHL debut in 1979, scoring four goals in a win over Hershey. In ten seasons, Gage became the Amerks' all-time leader in games played (653), points (728), goals (351), and assists (377). Gage won the Les Cunningham Award in 1987–88 after a 60-goal season (second player in league history to accomplish this feat). He was the third player in AHL history to score 1000 points, the fifth player to play 1000 AHL games, and the fifth member of the AHL's 500-goal club. Gage led Rochester to a Calder Cup in 1986–87 and back to the Calder Cup Finals in 1989–90, 1990–91, and 1992–93.

The man dubbed "Mr. Amerk" retired during the 1995–96 season and finished his AHL career with 504 goals, 1,048 points, seven 40-goal seasons, and 51 playoff goals. In 68 career NHL games with Detroit and Buffalo, Gage totaled 14 goals, 15 assists, and 26 penalty minutes. Immediately after his retirement, Gage accepted a position as assistant general manager and helped the Amerks capture the 1995–96 Calder Cup championship in a thrilling seven-game series over the defending champion Portland Pirates.

Gage was named general manager of the Americans before the 1996–97 season and has since overseen five division titles, two more trips to the Calder Cup Finals, and a Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy after a 51-win season in 2004–05. In addition to his work with the Amerks, Gage also served as GM for the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse and was GM of the National Lacrosse League's Rochester Knighthawks (1995-2019) until new ownership took control of both the Amerks and Knighthawks in 2008.

In 2006, Gage was a member of the inaugural induction class of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.

On February 3, 2011, Gage was named the new general manager for the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse.

Gage is now the vice president of player personnel for the Rochester Knighthawks Lacrosse Club.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1975–76	Toronto Nationals	OPJHL		53	28	52	80	145		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	St. Catharines Fincups	OMJHL		47	13	20	33	2		2	0	0	0	0
1977–78	Hamilton Fincups	OMJHL		32	15	18	33	19		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Kitchener Rangers	OMJHL		36	17	27	44	21		9	4	3	7	4
1978–79	Kitchener Rangers	OMJHL		58	46	43	89	40		10	1	2	3	6
1979–80	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		63	25	21	46	15		5	2	1	3	0
1979–80	Kalamazoo Wings	IHL		14	17	12	29	0		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		16	2	2	4	22		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		59	17	31	48	44		17	9	6	15	12
1981–82	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		31	9	10	19	2		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		47	21	20	41	21		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		65	23	30	53	33		6	1	5	6	8
1983–84	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		73	40	32	72	32		6	3	4	7	2
1984–85	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		78	27	33	60	55		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		7	3	2	5	0		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Rochester Americans	AHL		73	42	57	99	56		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Rochester Americans	AHL		70	26	39	65	60		17	14	5	19	24
1987–88	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Rochester Americans	AHL		76	60	44	104	46		5	2	5	7	10
1988–89	Rochester Americans	AHL		65	31	38	69	60		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Rochester Americans	AHL		75	45	38	83	42		17	4	6	10	12
1990–91	Rochester Americans	AHL		73	42	43	85	34		15	6	10	16	14
1991–92	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		9	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Rochester Americans	AHL		67	40	40	80	54		16	5	9	14	10
1992–93	Rochester Americans	AHL		71	40	40	80	76		9	5	8	13	2
1993–94	Rochester Americans	AHL		44	18	21	39	57		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Rochester Americans	AHL		23	4	5	9	20		2	0	0	0	0
1995–96	Rochester Americans	AHL		16	3	12	15	20		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				1038	504	544	1048	725		115	51	59	110	94
NHL totals				68	14	15	29	26		—	—	—	—	—

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• AHL Hall of Fame Bio