Chico Resch
A Stanley Cup-winning goalie known for his infectious optimism, distinctive mask, and seamless second act as the beloved voice of the New Jersey Devils.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Canadian–American ice hockey player·Birthday: July 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Chico Resch's career is a story of warmth and longevity in a tough sport. The Saskatchewan-born goaltender broke into the NHL with the New York Islanders just as the team was transforming from a laughingstock into a dynasty. With his colorful, painted mask and perpetually upbeat demeanor, he provided stability in net and was a key part of the Islanders' first Stanley Cup win in 1980. Traded to the Colorado Rockies and then to the New Jersey Devils, he became a fan favorite for his hustle and personality on struggling teams. After retiring, he found his true calling in the broadcast booth. For decades, his insightful, enthusiastic, and good-humored color commentary on Devils broadcasts made him the friendly, knowledgeable voice of the franchise for a generation of fans.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Chico was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chico Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Chico's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Stanley Cup as the goaltender for the 1980 New York Islanders, playing 45 games that season.
- Played in the 1976 NHL All-Star Game as a member of the New York Islanders.
- Served as the primary color commentator for New Jersey Devils television broadcasts for over 25 years, becoming an institution for the team's fans.
Did You Know?
He famously wore a goalie mask painted with a happy face on one side and a sad face on the other.
He was the last NHL goalie to play without a mask in a regular-season game, doing so briefly in 1974.
He earned a degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
“You have to have a short memory to be a goalie. And a sense of humor doesn't hurt either.”
