In his role as assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, John Vanbiesbrouck is serving as general manager for the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Vanbiesbrouck, who joined the USA Hockey staff in June 2018, oversees all of USA Hockey’s international efforts, including its men’s, women’s and sled team programs.
He has been part of the management team for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the IIHF Men’s World Championship five times (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), including for Team USA’s bronze-medal finish in 2021.
Vanbiesbrouck has also served as general manager of the U.S. National Junior Team for the last five IIHF World Junior Championships, with gold (2024, 2021), silver (2019) and bronze (2023) medals to his credit during that stretch.
Vanbiesbrouck also served as general manager of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
Vanbiesbrouck, who also plays a significant role in maintaining and enhancing USA Hockey’s relationships with key constituent groups, including the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and NHL, began his volunteer work in 2008 as an athlete director on USA Hockey’s board of directors and was elected vice president and chair of the Junior Council in 2012.
Prior to his time in the national office, Vanbiesbrouck had a remarkable NHL playing career that spanned parts of 20 seasons and included stops with the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. The five-time NHL All-Star won 374 games, the most ever by an American netminder in NHL history at the time of his retirement. He earned the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL in 1986 as a member of the New York Rangers and 10 years later helped the Florida Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
Inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, Vanbiesbrouck represented the United States on the international stage as a player on nine occasions, including the Olympic Winter Games in 1998; two Canada Cups (1991, 1987), four IIHF Men’s World Championships (1991, 1989, 1987, 1985) and two IIHF World Junior Championships (1983, 1982).