Garth Snow
A former NHL goaltender who traded his mask for a suit, steering the New York Islanders through a complex decade as their general manager.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American ice hockey player·Birthday: July 28·Generation X
Biography
Garth Snow's hockey narrative splits neatly into two acts: the journeyman netminder and the front-office executive. His playing career was defined by resilience, backing up stars like Ron Hextall and Tom Barrasso before seizing a starting role with the New York Islanders. After retirement, he made an unconventional leap directly from the locker room to the front office, appointed as the Islanders' general manager in 2006. For over a decade, Snow navigated the club through ownership uncertainty, arena dramas, and the constant pressure of rebuilding a historic franchise. His tenure was marked by bold, sometimes controversial moves—like the 15-year contract for Rick DiPietro—and a steady accumulation of draft talent that would later form the core of a competitive team.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Garth was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Garth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Garth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
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
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as General Manager of the New York Islanders for 12 seasons, from 2006 to 2018.
- Played over 350 games in the NHL as a goaltender for four different teams.
- As GM, orchestrated the draft selections of foundational players like John Tavares and Ryan Strome.
- Transitioned directly from an active player to a general manager, a rare career path in professional sports.
Did You Know?
He played college hockey at the University of Maine, winning the NCAA national championship in 1993.
Snow famously used oversized leg pads during his playing career, which later prompted the NHL to create a 'Garth Snow rule' limiting pad size.
Before his NHL management role, he briefly served as an assistant coach for the Islanders.
“You stop the puck, you give your team a chance to win.”
