Travis Roche
A dependable offensive defenseman who carved out a long professional career across North American and European leagues, known for his power-play savvy.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: June 17·Generation X
Biography
Travis Roche played 15 seasons of professional hockey across North America and Europe as an undrafted defenseman from Alberta. He first made his mark in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. His NHL stints with the Phoenix Coyotes and Minnesota Wild were brief. Roche found his true role as a dominant force in the American Hockey League and later in Europe's top circuits. Coaches valued him as a power-play quarterback—a smart passer with a hard, accurate shot from the point. He won championships in Germany's DEL. In Switzerland and Austria, he became a veteran leader. His career shows the value of high hockey IQ and professionalism in the global hockey ecosystem.
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.
Travis was born in 1978, 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 Travis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Travis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
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
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
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 40
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 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) championship with the Eisbären Berlin in the 2011-2012 season.
- Named to the AHL Second All-Star Team in 2004 while playing for the Utah Grizzlies.
- Scored over 300 points in his professional career across various North American and European leagues.
- Captained the EHC Biel team in the Swiss National League during the 2013-2014 season.
- Played a key role in the University of Minnesota-Duluth's run to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2004.
Did You Know?
He was a teammate of Shane Doan on the Phoenix Coyotes during his NHL tenure.
He led all AHL defensemen in scoring during the 2003-2004 season with 60 points.
He played for teams in five different countries: USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
His younger brother, Nathan Roche, also played professional hockey in Europe.
He retired in 2016 after a season with EHC Black Wings Linz in Austria.
“I showed up every day ready to work, no matter the jersey.”
