Brian Gionta probably isn’t looking for any reminders that he’s getting up there in age.
The veteran forward toward 39 in January, making him one of the oldest active NHL players and nearly double the age of Ryan Donato.
Donato made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins on Monday in what surely was a surreal moment for both the 21-year-old and Gionta. That’s because Gionta once was teammates with Donato’s father, Ted, who previously saw his son play alongside Gionta with Team USA in the 2018Â Winter Olympics before joining forces with the Bruins.
“I played with his dad in world championships,” Gionta told NHL.com’s Scott Burnside. “Obviously, you know you’re getting old when that happens, when you’re playing with his son. But it’s fun. He’s a great kid, I had a great time with him in South Korea and I’m enjoying his successes here.”
Luckily for Gionta, he’s not alone in sharing this sentiment regarding Donato playing with the Bruins. Patrice Bergeron also has history with Ted Donato, who the star center cited as a great mentor as he broke in with Boston.
