Jimmy Waite
A goaltender whose resilience through a nomadic playing career forged him into a respected and sought-after coach for modern netminders.
Born 1969 (age 57)·Ice hockey player·Birthday: April 15·Generation X
Biography
Jimmy Waite's story is one of patience and reinvention. Drafted in the first round by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1987, the promise of a starring role in the NHL was clear. His early years, however, were defined by the life of a backup and a minor-league traveler, shuttling between Chicago and their farm teams. A trade to San Jose offered a fresh start, but Waite's most significant chapter began in Germany, where he became a stalwart in the DEL for over a decade, winning championships and earning league MVP honors as a goalie. This European tenure honed not just his play but his understanding of the position's nuances. Upon retirement, he seamlessly transitioned, bringing that deep, hard-won knowledge back to the Blackhawks as their goaltending coach, where he has been instrumental in developing the next generation of talent between the pipes.
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.
Jimmy 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 Jimmy 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
Jimmy'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
- Played 106 NHL games across four teams, posting a career .880 save percentage.
- Won the German DEL championship with the Adler Mannheim in 2001.
- Named the DEL's Most Valuable Player for the 2000-01 season, a rare honor for a goaltender.
- Has served as the goaltending coach for the Chicago Blackhawks since 2014, mentoring multiple starters.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of former NHL goaltender and fellow first-round pick, Stephane Waite.
Waite backstopped Canada to a gold medal at the 1988 World Junior Championships.
He played professional hockey until he was 41 years old, with his final seasons in Germany.
His son, Colton Waite, was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
“I learned to be ready for any chance, in any city, wearing any jersey.”
