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40 // JULY 2023 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM NOTHING BUT LOVE B oasting five Paralympic gold medals, Josh Pauls i s t h e m o st d e c o r a t e d sled hockey player of all time. Following an 18-year career with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, Pauls is retiring from international play at 33 years old. Though he's done playing for the U.S., he hasn't given up the sport com- pletely. "I am quitting skating cold turkey," Pauls said. "I have no desire to be a competitive skater anymore. I've actually started making the transition to goalie just for fun. But interna- tionally, I am for sure done — 100%. People are still going to talk me into trying to come back in four years, because they'll be like, 'You're actual- ly not a bad goalie.' I'm going to have to break their heart and tell them, 'Hey, I'm not a bad goalie. But I'm still not a good goalie.'" Pauls helped the U.S. win gold at the past five Winter Paralympic Games. He also competed in 10 world championships, captur- ing seven gold medals and three silver medals. Even with all his success on the ice for the last two decades, Pauls didn't grapple too much with his retirement decision. "I had some thoughts after Beijing [in 2022] that I might have wanted to be done, but at that point it didn't feel right," Pauls said. "I still had that itch to compete. Now, it feels like the right time. The leadership on the team is the strongest it's been in a long while. That gives me a little bit of confidence to know that passing it onto the next generation is going to be OK." Pauls, who was born without tibia bones in both legs, finished his career with the most games played (232) in the history of the U.S. National Sled program. He is third on the all-time list in points scored (204), third in assists (135) and fourth in goals (69). Known as "Spuds" by his team- mates, Pauls first joined the national team as an injury replacement at only 15 years old. He recalls barely sticking on the squad, but he was able to stick around for almost two decades. He took over as the U.S. team cap- tain in 2018 and wore the "C" on his jerseys at three Paralympics. For all Pauls accomplished during h i s 1 8 -y e a r c a r e e r, t h e a c c o l a d e s aren't what sticks out to him. "Honestly, the thing I'm most proud of is the impact I've had on people," Pauls said. "A lot of people tell me this, so hopefully I'm not just tooting my horn; I want other people to suc- ceed. It's a privilege to be asked for advice, and I never want to let that privilege go away. Somebody's going to trust me to ask me for my advice, and I want to give them the right time. I want to give them the proper energy they deserve, because they're asking for a reason. To have the trust of so many people, not just on the team but in sled hockey to trust me with their development and just asking ques- Longtime U.S. National Sled Hockey Team Captain Josh Pauls Finishes Career With Five Paralympic Gold Medals & Seven World Championships By Greg Bates 40 // NOV/DEC 2026 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM Josh Pauls, the most decorated sled hockey player of all time, retires from international competition after an 18-year career and five consecutive Paralympic gold medals. DIGITAL BONUS CONTENT